See You Soon
by double scotch.single malt
Summary: Post Season 6 Meredith and Derek ficlet. A story that explores what could have happened in those first few weeks following the shootings, but with a very meaningful twist of circumstances. Read and you will be captivated!
1. Part 1, 'And then he saw it,'

**Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy, et al.**

**Author's Note: **So, here's the deal ... this fic, I don't even know where it came from, I haven't watched the show in some time, though I knew from everything I heard from the Season 7 opener, that I would have done it very differently.****

**And so this story is an exploration of what Meredith and Derek's mindsets would have been ... IF the facts were tweaked ... just ever so slightly.**

**If you've followed my other stories, you know how I like to take what the audience is given and find those loopholes and answer those 'what-if's' ... so, if you're game, give me a chance, I promise you'll be happy campers.**

**The song inspiration for this story comes from my love for Cold Play's song, "See You Soon", and my reasoning for that will become transparent once you read on. Please, please ... leave a note for me!**

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**See You Soon**

Lyrics for Cold Play's, "See You Soon":

So you lost your trust,  
>And you never should have,<br>And you never should have,  
>But don't break your back,<br>If you ever see this,  
>Don't answer that.<p>

In a bullet proof vest,  
>With the windows all closed,<br>I'll be doing my best,  
>I'll see you soon,<p>

In a telescope lens,  
>And when all you want is friends,<br>I'll see you soon.

So they came for you,  
>They came snapping at your heels,<br>They come snapping at you heels,

But don't break your back,  
>If you ever say this,<br>But don't answer that.

In a bullet proof vest,  
>With the windows all closed,<br>I'll be doing my best,  
>I'll see you soon,<p>

In a telescope lens,  
>And when all you want is friends,<br>I'll see you soon,  
>I'll see you soon.<p>

I know you lost your trust,  
>I know you lost your trust,<br>I know, don't lose your trust.

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**See You Soon – Part 1 – 'And then he saw it …,'**

Somewhere in the deep fog of his mind he sensed light, the source unknown.

He felt weightless and had been for some time already, though his concept of time was also unknown and warped … time-warped … steered away … off course. He struggled, he remembered this much – _he struggled and fought until he succumbed to his mind-altered desires, the ebb and flow of the horror gone for the moment as he watched his wife's face fade into gray … Grey … Grey_ – and then everything was black … and he as cast away into the abyss of the velvety underground … anesthetized against the ugly.

But even as he was whisked away, well below twilight, he felt her powerful aura as it lingered deep within in his mind's eye, much how she did during those first few tumultuous months they spent apart (the undoing of his doing) – _her emerald eyes vacillating before him, her brow knitted with concern or pain … except that all he could really see was her inner strength _– and this is what clung to, this was what he held onto with the last of his might … well into his eleventh hour.

And that was good enough, or so it seemed, for it was true, those green orbs had long-since held him hostage, they grounded him, perhaps from the first time he looked into her depths and she had forever changed who he was _– those beloved rhombuses of his woman's multi-faceted eyes, the ones he couldn't live without or ever really memorize, for they were ever-changing, evolving_ – those gateways to her soul, both iridescent and all seeing and oh so forgiving … and also unforgettable.

So unforgettable that he ached to see them again, to see _her_ again – _to look into her depths through his own eyes now that his viewpoint was tilted in a different direction, warped, astray_ – he struggled to breathe, the recent flurry of memories bottlenecking again now, lodging themselves in his throat … _up, up, up, choke, choke_ … he cried out in pain and sorrow for all that was lost … again … and again … and again.

The nightmare of the memory ensued now much like it had since he came around and out of surgery – _akin to a far off storm, the perfect storm that breached his vicinity as it moved closer and closer without discrimination_ – the memories irrevocably stymied in the vast wasteland of his mind – _this place that suddenly had no outlet_ – for he was trapped … and this time, like every other time … he had nowhere to turn.

_A tremor shook his body and he breathed, staring down and into the tiny barrel of the loaded gun. Suspended in the air, balancing his life on the catwalk. His heart arrested and everything became clear – a familiar shrill, both deafening and painful rang out, his father's eyes popped into his mind – the echo, the pain of the shrill still reverberating, splicing into the quiet, slow fright of the moment. _

_His head spun, his mind working over his whole life – everything, everything, every moment, every good thing – the barrel of the gun vacillated in front of him. He heaved breath, perhaps his last as he stared at Clark's eyes … black and dead already, warped … missing … astray. _

_And scared … _

_And cold … _

_And dark … _

_And alone … _

_His hand still shaking like the core of his being – man to man, man to man, look, look, calm, calm, eye to eye … an eye for an eye – and for a brief moment, he faltered and therein he believed that his nemesis was not __this__ man … he was not – but he __was__ angry and bleeding and already fading from the inside out – no, he was not this man who had come to terrorize everyone who stood in his way … though his direction … unknown, even to himself. For in this respect he was lost … a mirror … a reflection unto those he harmed._

Harmed and damaged and unhinged – _the entity of Seattle Grace, doctors, patients, the community at large _– the tragedy was everywhere, especially here where the memories were still so raw, mere weeks from ground zero now … the ground was still shaking, quaking with the vibration of every kill he made – _the one-week anniversary, then the second week_ – would the weeks ever cease to be counted … would time resume to clip at a normal pace … he was defeated, sure now that only time would tell as it stood at a hopeless gridlock.

Time, that was all they needed … time to heal their wounds, both new and old – _time he was thankful for _– even though he had no concept of the passage of minutes into hours, of days as they became nights … no, he had been stripped of that quantifier, for everything merely blended together under the cruelty of the ever-present fluorescent lights – _blue, cold, dull and lifeless_ – the air, the hours, time passed with little relevance to him … save for one beacon of hope for normalcy. _Meredith. _

Because all he knew was that his wife hadn't left his side and though he was relieved to have her with him, to know in his heart of hearts (though tattered and torn and put back together) that she did anything _but_ run that day, their post-it vows still intact _– thought he also knew there was more to her story_ – and that it was only a matter of time until he would be able to make his own assessment and make her believe that it was okay – _that she could release her tongue_ – and tell him her side of the story.

_Which left him where he was … convalescing, resting – somewhere between day and night – perhaps twilight … dawn, dusk … but there again, time didn't really matter … it only mattered that it was theirs. _

And so he took comfort in that and he waited for the opportune time to move, to open his eyes to yet another non-descript moment in time because he had tried it all – _forcing himself to stay awake, forcing himself to sleep_ – and none of it worked, none of the tricks he had tried gave him the chance to put the nightmare behind him and truly live. He was in purgatory, in limbo, immobilized and he hated it. He felt helpless because he was – _and even with the promises of brighter tomorrows, he still felt as if he was frozen_ – stuck in time with just the perfect amount of fear and a small bit of loathing too.

_Presently, he felt a deep shiver rip up his spine and therein he knew he was close to coming to the surface, his body alleviated from the blessing and the curse of heavy doses of pain medication, although admittedly, he felt heavier than he usually did. He swallowed; his throat was dry, arid like the desert. He needed water – almost desperately, he felt dehydrated, his throat burned, burned like peroxide to an open wound – he thought to run his tongue over his lips but that thought quickly vaporized before he could do anything about it. _

_He realized then, that his head hurt – a new raging pulse banged around in the deep nerve tissue of his brain – he felt bruised, like the side-effect of the worst of migraines and briefly wondered how that was at all possible with the magnitude of drugs he was on. And then that weightless feeling was paradoxically and routinely lifted now wherein he seized the brevity of the moment and forced his eyes open. _

The aura around his room was semi-dark, he felt disjointed and he blinked hard, _once, twice_ trying now to get his bearings, for it seemed the window in his room was somehow smaller. He inhaled a gulp of the dry air, filling his chest cavity with oxygen _– he turned his head and saw what he needed to_ – Meredith asleep on her cot, though it felt like it had been years since he laid his eyes upon her.

He shook off his next round of woeful thoughts and focused for a beat. He had feeling it was just after the break of dawn. His eyes dipped shut and he listened for the sounds all around him – _for that early morning peace of the hospital, these brief moments in time where the previous night's calamities became the distant past_ – and all that remained was the promise of a new day … a new light … a new set of parameters and circumstances.

He relaxed his muscles and opened his eyes again, he felt heavy and there was nothing weightless about him and he secretly loved that – _being able to feel the smallest amount of pain_ – for _feeling_ meant that he was _alive_ and therein his pain almost became his everything … almost.

He turned his head and focused on Meredith's sleeping form again, watching now for the predictable rise and fall of her chest, the way she hugged her pillow – _very similar to the way she wrapped herself around him in their bed late at night_ – and suddenly his heartstrings stretched … aching for proximity and intimacy, for her … his lover, his wife. A small tremor rocked him then and a set of waiting tears filled the wells of his dry eyes and he had no idea why, other than this nagging feeling that _everything_ had somehow changed whilst he was asleep.

The room became a shade lighter and he found his eyes roaming around the enclave of his space – _the energy different, somehow more secluded, private_ – the walls still white, the door still on the left, the shades drawn, the dull light from the hallway, still fluorescent – _though the window was indeed smaller_ – he turned his head again and peered down, his eyes traveling along his blanket-covered body to his feet, he slowly wiggled his toes, the tendons tight and achy … how long had he slept?

His eyes wandered again, Meredith slept on – _and a ray of unique, bright light pushed its way though the blinds, falling over her while she rested _– her golden hair a mess on her pillow, her clothing pretty typical _'Meredith garb'_, a pair of sweats and one of his long sleeved Henley tees. He felt a small smile form along his face, feeling a minute amount of comfort in knowing that she was resting, though he could see she still hadn't found her peace _– he sighed, exhaling hot air from his lungs and paid attention to how that felt_ – his chest taut, a slight pain radiating from his incision, his muscles still angry, fatigued … and then he wondered, would he ever find his peace … of mind?

His eyes dipped shut, closing himself off to the pain radiating from his head, shooting down the vertebrae of his back to his legs – _no more than tiny residual pulses _– though he felt them all, his body humming now. He shuddered, a fever pricked his skin and the air became drier and even drier still until his throat was seared.

_Water. He needed water. Desperately. _

He closed his dry eyes and then opened them again, this time spying a placard near the phone mounted on the wall near the door, one that he had never seen before – _he swallowed hard again and strained his eyes to see it_ – tilting his head to displace the last bit of a persistent glare he couldn't see through, but it was no use.

_And within his failed efforts, he felt desperation grab a hold of him and without a thought he tried to raise his head, his skull so heavy he felt like he had no leverage, the task too arduous – but why, why, why – a raspy grunt escaping from his lips now… a low growl made of so many feelings: incapacity, frustration, desperation! _

_He couldn't see it – he was defeated – he expelled a breath of air and turned his head yet again, focusing now on the window and the heavy tint to the glass he could see between the blinds, though the brighter light still infiltrated the space … akin to sunshine. Sunshine. The sun was shining. Bright. Light. The fog was gone, lifted; perhaps a rare sunny day in Seattle lay ahead. Though nothing about that made sense. Something was still off-kilter! _

_His chest constricted and he wanted to call out to Meredith but nothing came out, he struggled to breathe though his heart didn't hurt – he wasn't in pain, he was just disorientated and scared – his heart pumped harder and his eyes flicked up to the heart monitor on his right, he watched his rhythm … the intensity of what he felt wasn't registering at all! _

He swallowed hard and once again opened his mouth to say something, _anything_ … and then he noticed something – _his hospital identification wristband_ – he focused then, peering down at his wrist to read the band, also different … he tried lifting his arm, but he couldn't … it was too heavy, so he flexed his wrist, moving his arm just enough to get a glimpse at the fine print, his blood running cold as he read on: _'Shepherd, Derek C. / Team: Hartman / Mayo Clinic / Arizona'_.

'_Mayo Clinic', his world stopped. Another round of desperate tears filled his eyes then – 'how, how, why, what happened, what, what' – his mind went blank, his throat was on fire, the air was so dry, so dry it hurt … but his heart was still steady, his rhythm slow and steady, slow … and steady. _

He closed his eyes and felt those tiny tears crash along his face and then he blinked again, summoning the power to raise his wrist, this time pulling it up to eye level with this left hand, a dull ache radiating there from his IV line where he became lost in the slow drip of fluids for a moment … _drip, drip, drip, tick, tick, tick_ … time slowly stopped.

Focusing again, he ignored his pulsating muscles of his right arm, the fingers of his left hand tightening there now in an effort to ground himself – _and that's when he saw it_ – his state of shock only intensifying when he, Derek Shepherd – _spotted a wedding band encircling his left ring finger_ – gold and bright and shiny and … _new _… he stared at it, his mind wild … … a wedding band, the one he chose when he and Meredith planned their wedding … _his_ _… wedding … band_ … and then he heard the broken timbre of his voice.

"Mer …," he breathed into the quiet room.

**See You Soon – Part 2 to follow.**


	2. Part 2, 'Take it on faith,'

**Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy, et al. **

**Author's Note: As excited as I was to start sharing this story, I once again find myself wondering what those who are reading are thinking ... after you read, where are your thoughts, how are you feeling? I'd really like to know. Thank you to 'Em' and 'Juni' for your anonymous reviews!  
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**See You Soon – Part 2 – 'Take it on faith …,'**

_He called for his beloved again – 'Mer ' – his tone raw, the last syllables of her name disappearing with his voice, though the echo of his attempt was still there – 'Mer' – there it was, tangled, suspended deep within the confusion of fog that hung both in the room and inside of his mind. His heart lurching now as he watched her green eyes pop open. _

_She exhaled sharply, her warbled gasp of relief interrupting the silence as she swiftly sat up and tossed her flimsy cotton blanket aside – her sleepy eyes now alert and fixed on his as she quickly rose from the low cot and strode across the room to him – breathless as she stared at him for a beat, her damp, faceted eyes boring into his … for it seemed that she too, was unwilling to blink. _

"Hi …," she breathed, tears pricking her eyes as she ran her fingertips along the halo of his hairline, _'please, please'_, she prayed silently, her eyes passing back and forth over her man's beleaguered face. Her heart squeezed, low and deep – _'squeeze, squeeze, bang, bang'_ – as a vacuum, a unique cacophony of noise and life and hope thumped into her eardrums. "Hi," she repeated, quite mystified by his eyes – _because __he__ was there, 'Derek, Derek' _– oh how she missed the way he looked at her! She felt a tug on her heart and scanned his eyes … searching … praying … longing for connectivity.

_Derek couldn't look away – so stunned was he by her beauty and her wild spirit and the way it soared with hope – that he confirmed his suspicions now … that they had indeed been disengaged from one another, that he had closed his eyes and was 'gone' … or 'missing' … and had left her all alone. _

_And so it came as no surprise when she leaned closer to scrutinize him – so close was she now that Derek could see the tiny, familiar pattern of freckles that adorned her beautiful nose – this small intricate detail that the layperson would miss, but not him. For she was no longer an enigma to him – she had become his 'everything' – and he could tell now that he had become hers. He smiled weakly and nodded, 'I'm here' he whispered silently, willing her to find him again. _

"Derek …," she husked, her throat on fire as she spoke, her prayers lifting her weary spirit higher and higher, up and out of her worst nightmare to date. "You're still you …," she breathed, blinking her waiting tears back and away.

Derek nodded in assent. "I … am …," he sighed breathlessly, choking on his simple words, his vocal chords stretched too thin to say anything more.

_Meredith smiled then and Derek felt her energy tremble all around him – he nodded again, trying his best to allay her fears without words – pursing his lips, he struggled with his inability to move his arms around her like he so desperately wanted to. He felt her hand rest over his and he looked down, baffled by what he saw next: the gorgeous channel-set diamond wedding band they had chosen for her all those months ago before they gifted their wedding ceremony to Karev and Stevens. The ring, still a perfect fit, sat snuggly around her finger, a symbol that stood the test of time … she was wearing her wedding band. _

_He looked up and then down again, seeing now that Meredith had followed his gaze and there within that moment – he waited for her to speak – knowing that whatever had happened whilst he was 'gone' would be okay now that he could see her and she him. Except that she remained speechless, her watery eyes flicking up to – her face contorting with a wild range of emotions, both ends of the spectrum colliding now – twisting this way and that as a heaving sob wracked her lithe frame wherein he watched her let it all go and give in, losing herself completely. 'Derek' she cried from some deep private place – her strangled voice swirling into the invisible current of the dry air – his fingertips tracing the smooth line of her ring, back and forth, back and forth. _

Inhaling sharply, Meredith tried her best to calm her heart, _'breathe, breathe'_, she chanted, her fingers moving instinctually around his ring now too –_ smooth and continual, a true circle of life _– her head still spinning as she bent down and kissed the cool, precious metal wherein he turned his palm up, cupping her face in his hand … her lips pulsing … her breathing stacked, her hot tears falling onto his flesh … her heart beating so fast it scared her.

She felt his bed shimmy now as she broke down, weeping, heaving with deep sighs of prayer and relief. She raised her head, her eyes red-rimmed and puffy already, his fingertips still moving over her ring. She looked down and so did he and there they became lost for a brief second … both staring in quiet awe. Looking up again, she smiled and so did he – _cocking his head as he pressed his lips together into a tiny smirk_ – his playful eyes darting down to their hands before he found her eyes again where her cheeks heated under his scrutiny.

"Just … go with it … trust me," she sniffled before leaning closer. "Take it on faith," she whispered now just as he had asked of her that night when he took her out to the trailer for the first time.

Derek smiled weakly and Meredith watched his eyes soften around the edges before she responsibly pressed the call button and sniffled, her steady flow of tears charting their own course now after having been held back by the dam of her strength for so long. She lowered the bed railing and moved closer, her fingertips resting on his pulse as the door opened and a nurse rushed in.

"Alejandra," Meredith breathed, her voice hitched as she pinned her eyes on the gorgeous Latina nurse she'd gotten to know pretty well over the last several days. She smiled broadly and nodded … _'yes, he's fine, he's okay,' _answering with her eyes.

"So, _'Prince Charming'_ opened his eyes and found his beautiful wife," Alejandra smiled easily, her voice full of its own melody, she strode across the room and locked her eyes on her patient's, he smiled and nodded in assent.

"He looks good so far," Meredith sighed, her darting away from Derek's to speak to Alejandra. "He's … okay," she stated evenly before she turned back to her lover. "You're okay," she smiled, leaning forward, she pressed a gentle kiss to his warm cheek.

Alejandra smiled at the gentle way in which the couple regarded one another, noting the patient's fingers twirling Meredith's wedding band around and around her finger. She shifted on her feet. "I've paged your doctor …she'll be out of surgery soon … but in the meantime, I'd like to start your vitals," she informed, tilting her head. She popped her penlight on and quickly checked the reactivity of his pupils. She smiled tightly; her touch was warm and confident. "Looks good," she smiled. "Welcome to the Mayo Clinic," she said genuinely as she moved about his bed and got to work, charting the results of his temperature next by rolling the sensor along his forehead. "You're in the best of hands here, rest assured," she said softly and moved on with her work.

_Derek stared at the young nurse for a beat before he nodded and took a deep breath, suddenly aware of how tight his muscles had become, once again wondering what had transpired between the last time he closed his eyes at Seattle Grace only to open them here. His head spinning now as he ran his fingertips along his new wedding band, silently grounding himself with the symbol – 'how, why and when' – was all he could think. _

_He shifted uncomfortably, watching closely as Alejandra moved to a portable computer console and began to complete his chart. He sighed and flicked his eyes back to Meredith's where he found she hadn't moved an inch – rather she was watching him akin to a hawk of her prey – she smiled and took his hand in hers and began to rub tiny circles there on the fleshy part of his palm, calming him with her eyes. _

"Does your throat hurt? Do you want some water?" she asked suddenly, her eyes wide as she spied his dry lips, his mouth open to respond. "No don't answer …wait …," she muttered. Derek smiled and swallowed hard. "Alejandra, can Derek have some water?" she asked, reaching up, she laid her hand along his cheek; she felt him lean into her touch and by God, it felt good!

"Sure we can try a little," Alejandra answered from her console. "I'll send a text order for some," she added, her eyes darting away from her computer.

"Are you in pain?" Meredith murmured, turning back to Derek.

He shook his head strongly_ – 'no' – _blinking once deliberately. "No," he answered, his voice gruff; he caught Alejandra's eyes with his and pressed his lips firmly together when he saw her quiet nod of acknowledgement.

Meredith tilted her head and regarded Derek, his eyes both tired and glassy; he wouldn't be awake for long _– he was fatigued, exhausted_ – she knew that much. She smiled weakly as he blinked deliberately again – _one distinct time, perhaps to prove his point _–falling in line with the initial mode of communication they had used right after his surgery_, one blink meant 'no', two deliberate blinks meant 'yes'. _

And even though she understood Derek enough to know he was in a manageable amount of pain, she pressed on, double-checking her lover's deep blue eyes for clues of intense pain or discomfort. And after a minute of vacillating she conceded because all she really saw and felt was his tranquility and therein the canopy of fear she had been residing under began to lift … ever so slightly.

"Are you sure you don't want something to take the edge off?" she persisted, for the mere thought of him feeling any more pain unhinged her.

_Derek blinked forcefully again – 'no' – he answered firmly, the simple declaration rummaging around in his head, 'no, no', he locked his eyes with hers now making sure she saw his answer because even if he was in pain, it was measurable and quite frankly – he was happy to feel anything at all – because something went awry, he had gone 'missing' and in strange way he didn't want to mute or squander his awakening. _

_He wanted to feel and he wanted to be present in the moment with Meredith, because he missed her, and because she was his wife and had obviously been there for him – she didn't run – and in the spirit of mutual give and take, he felt it was his turn to be there for her … because he knew there more to her side the story than just the medical issues that beleaguered him, for it was no secret between them that she had been off whilst he was recovering from their ordeal – she was off and mourning the loss of something – and once again, she reminded him of how she looked when she was trying to come to terms with George's death – how she couldn't let herself cry or grieve – and it hurt, his heart literally ached knowing she was in pain and unable or unwilling to let him share it with her._

_So no – no, he didn't want medication – he just wanted his wife and within this second chance, this new moment of clarity, he finally saw Meredith for whom she evolved to be and therein he saw everything he ever loved about her: her strength, her tenacity, her beauty … and her loyalty. He smiled broadly – 'just take it on faith' – her words floated through his mind again, and then he smiled, because he realized his faith in her had also evolved and wasn't going anywhere, for it was rock solid._

_And so he smiled now as he basked in this small private moment, his whole body trembling with the love and admiration he felt for her and in some strange way she once again became what she had always been for him – a panacea, a cure-all for everything in his life that was painful – yes, she was that and so much more, a power hold of an elixir, his own special blend of antioxidants. _

_Thick tears stung his eyes then, prick, prick, prick – he blinked them away, back and away – and found himself shaking his head in awe of all that she had become … this woman who was so dedicated to their union, this woman who didn't balk or run, even when confronted with the face of death … again and again. His heart quivered, his chest ached and he felt mounting tension there, his muscle grappling against the pressure, akin to a vise – except that he could only smile through it, because he felt it – and it was a beautiful, succinct sensation. _

The door swung open and a nurse Meredith hadn't met before strode in, quietly greeting Alejandra as she set a tray down on the side table near the console … a pitcher of water and a stack of cups and straws. The two women spoke in hushed tones as Alejandra prepared a small cup of water for Derek. The second nurse made brief eye contact with Meredith and nodded with a small encouraging smile before she slipped out of the room.

Alejandra smiled and carefully passed the cup to Meredith. "Dr. Shepherd," she prompted softly, smiling when he immediately turned to her when addressed. "You were intubated … so … your throat will be sore," she advised, though she knew he might have already surmised that fact.

_Derek nodded in assent – blinking twice deliberately, 'yes' he understood – Meredith bent the straw towards his mouth where he pursed his lips around it and took a small sip, his throat temporarily relieved by the cool, natural elixir. He smiled, watching Meredith eye him carefully as he took another small sip. _

Meredith set the cup down on the side table and immediately focused on Derek again, finding that she didn't trust herself to look away from him for more than a second. For in a small way, she could barely believe he was back and having dreamt of little else since the coma had befallen him, she really wanted someone to just pinch her. She leaned forward and gently placed her palm over his heart, her eyes pinned to his, _'I love you, love you,'_ she sighed inside.

Derek shifted his weight then and she watched his face where a slight grimace appeared along his handsome features. He inhaled sharply and she felt his tension ebb away, his body humming under her touch and therein she leaned forward and pressed an even kiss to his cheekbone, just above his line of heavy stubble there. He laced his fingers through hers and held on tight, his thumb caressing her wedding band as he did.

_Breathing in tandem now, the lovers finally let their proximity permeate, becoming lost in their innate energy for a beat in time. Eyes closed, hearts aligned and focused … they connected._

Meredith sighed inside the moment, fully accepting and understanding Derek's plight with regards to medication and his obvious desires for awareness. She opened her eyes and looked down at their hands then, watching the way his fingers stroked her wedding band – _this symbol of their love she had slipped onto her own finger five days ago after she hatched her plan_ – living almost a week without Derek, one that felt like a lifetime in the making.

_Unruly tears clouded her vision then and their hands became blurred … entwined … one. _

Gathering her courage, she tried to stifle her emotions for a long beat before sighing heavily and looking up to find Derek's unwavering eyes staring back at her still – _and only then did her tears slip from her eyes _– traveling down her face and into the crease of her neck; she inhaled, sniffling in an attempt to regulate her breathing, _'I can't, I won't'_, she cried silently until Derek squeezed her hand and blinked once – _'no'_ – he insisted also silently, reassuring her as she watched a new stratum of fatigue encroach him.

"Heart arrhythmia," she blurted out of desperation, trying to find the words to share with him what had happened. "Six days ago, you were still recovering … and then … an arrhythmia was detected, but only after…," she sighed, her voice encumbered by the daunting facts.

She darted her eyes to Alejandra's in desperation. The nurse nodded in assent before she quietly slipped out of the room to leave them alone – _after all this was __her__ condition_ – that _she_ be the one to tell Derek what happened and how he ended up here. Derek sighed and she felt her tears well again.

"Talk …," Derek encouraged, his mind racing – _heart arrhythmia_ – his tired eyes vacillating as he watched Meredith slowly crumble before him, his torched soul smoldering now.

Meredith eyes Derek carefully, knowing that Alejandra was just outside, surely monitoring his heart, her greatest fear that she could _'lose'_ him again. She sighed, her breathing stacked, choppy. She swallowed hard and forced herself to continue. "You slipped under …," she stated evenly, shaking her head. Derek squeezed her hand. "The arrhythmia caused a hypoxic-anoxic injury …," she sighed, watching Derek's eyes widen. She shook her head.

"Slow … down," he murmured, trying his best to assuage both of their fears, his diagnosis haunting him for a beat – _hypoxic-anoxic injury_ – unbelievable and yet … he was here, he was back.

Her body trembled with nerves, but she pressed on, finding the courage she needed from her man's calming force. "It was less than a minute, precisely forty-nine seconds of oxygen flow was lost to your brain … less than a minute …," she whispered, her chest heaving, her heart on fire with insurmountable pressure. "Teddy caught it right away … but … we …we … lost … you … fell into a coma," she swallowed a sob and suddenly couldn't think straight. She exhaled and let another swell of waiting tears fall, she opened her mouth to speak, but the delayed sob escaped. "I'm sorry … so sorry … Derek …," she sniffled, inhaling sharply before she lost herself completely.

Derek tightened his hold on Meredith's hand and held her gaze, his eyes following hers as they darted down and away, the core of his being shaken as he watched her break down. "Don't …" he rasped out, swallowing hard, he forced the saliva down his throat, his eyes pleading with hers now. "Don't …cry …," he soothed, swallowing again, _'don't cry'_, came his silent plea, for he couldn't stand it _– her pain and sorrow so evident_ – her beautiful eyes so besieged by apology and compassion, they almost broke him … almost.

"Derek …," she breathed, her mind wild, suddenly untamed with the idea of prayers and dreams coming true … again. More tears cascaded down her face, salty expulsions made of relief and joy and sorrow and everything in between. She leaned forward and kissed the underside of his neck – _'I love you, I missed you'_ – more tears falling free as she did. "I was so …," she sighed, _'lost, scared, lonely'_, she finished silently against his neck, _'breathe, breathe', _she reminded herself.

_Derek felt her tremble against him, her raspy hot breath ricocheting against his neck as her lips pulsed there again, once, twice. Sighing, he laced his fingers through hers and slowly brought her hand up to his mouth where he kissed her wedding band, a gasp falling from her lips as he did. She pulled back slightly; her bloodshot eyes less than an inch away from his. He kissed her fingers again and watched a peaceful aura encapsulate her. _

"Oh God, I missed you … love you, so much," she cried, her heart on fire, thumping madly into her ears, his lips pressed to the top of her hand.

"Then … kiss me …," he breathed.

And so she did, pressing her lips against his, she pulsed her nerves over his, massaging his slightly open mouth with hers – _it wasn't a passionate kiss by any means – _but oh so much more, for it was solidifying – _a symbol much like their wedding bands _– of longevity and loyalty and understanding and tolerance and therein they connected again in mind, body and spirit.

Pulling away, Meredith found her lover's eyes – _the fear she had seen there waning now much like her own_ – for he was okay, he was awake and alert … and so far, the journey of the desperate plan she had plotted just five days ago had truly become the stuff her wildest dreams were made of.

_Sighing, Derek found he could only look on with wonder at Meredith, for she truly was the strongest person he knew – he smiled and felt the weight of the morning claim him – he swallowed hard, Meredith sighed and offered the cup of water to him again where he took tiny sips, the fire smoldering in his esophagus temporarily tamped out. He smiled and felt his body fight another wave of fatigue, his eyes about to shut when the door to his room swung open._

The couple turned to greet the doctor as she glided up to the bed, Alejandra following closely behind her. "Dr. Hartman," Meredith breathed with a small smile. "I'd like for you to meet my husband, Derek Shepherd," she sighed breathlessly – _'taking it on faith' _– her glassy eyes now full of pride rather than fear.

**See You Soon – Part 3 to follow.**


	3. Part 3, 'Tell me how you saved me,'

**Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy, et al.**

**Author's Note:**

**Author's Note: **Molly, got your note, THANK YOU for your tenacity! Many thanks also to Juni and Mona who left anonymous notes!** In a time when Grey's and its fandom for Mer/Der seems to be on a steep decline, I really do appreciate your willingness to enlighten me, lol. Just hang in there with me, answers to your questions will continue to unfold and from where I sit, this story is truly shaping up to be a wild, magical ride. **

**Lastly, wherever you found yourself today, on this 10th Anniversary of 9/11, I truly hope you were ensconced in the peace we all search for sometimes.  
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###**  
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**See You Soon – Part 3 – 'Tell me how you saved me …,'**

_Dr. Marta Hartman closed Derek Shepherd's file and looked up with a warm smile, pressing her lips together as she surveyed the brilliant neurosurgeon and his lovely, bright wife as she did. She slipped the chart into place at the foot of the bed and pulled her reading glasses off. _

"So, everything looks good …," Meredith prompted, her hand nestled deep inside the warmth of Derek's.

"Yes, absolutely," Marta smiled. "And as long as we stick to the plan for the next several days and your labs continue to look like they do, I think we can expect a full recovery … for both your heart and your mind," she deemed confidently.

"Thank you," Derek smiled, wincing slightly as he swallowed, though the throat antiseptic he'd been given had already started to work its magic. He swallowed again, allowing the numbing agent to soothe those raw nerve endings, better … much better.

"My pleasure," Marta answered with a firm nod. "Just doing what we do best," she added proudly. "We, of course were happy to help and let me tell you – _your wife is a fantastic advocate for your healthcare _– she drives a hard bargain, put her foot down several times …," she kidded with a serious undertone, smiling as her thoughts briefly landed on Ellis Grey.

"Bossy," Derek breathed with a smile, squeezing Meredith's hand.

"Derek," Meredith murmured, though she was quite content to hear his banter; she squeezed his hand in return.

"Keeps me in line," he added, quickly sharing a knowing smile with his lover.

Marta smiled at the couple. "So … any other questions before I leave you two alone for a bit?" she asked.

"No … I feel … good … Meredith?" Derek breathed, eager to get started with the next few days of labs and of course connecting with his lover.

"No … questions, although … could we have an hour or so … I just … we need to –"

"Connect, of course," Marta sighed. "We'll be monitoring you regardless … and I feel fairly confident nothing will crop up – _so take your time, take all the time you need_ – we'll reconvene in an hour, maybe even remove your ablation catheter if your labs show you're ready," she reported with a smile as she stood.

"Thank you again Dr. Hartman," Meredith sighed, standing as well.

"Meredith, it's Marta … please," she reminded the young surgeon as she pressed her hand along her forearm.

"Yes … Marta, all right …," she smiled, leaning into her healing touch.

The couple watched the good doctor go, the door closing slowly behind her before Derek smiled broadly and tugged on Meredith's hand, her wedding band sparkling against the dull fluorescent lights. He pulled on her hand again, she giggled at his antics and sat down on the edge of his bed, her eyes as bright as her hopeful smile.

"So … no surgery," he breathed, tilting his head up with a small smile.

Meredith shook her head. "No … I couldn't stand the thought of it … it was risky, I know … but I knew I had to get you here," she stated evenly, her mind once again on the facts of Derek's case and what came to be her predicament. "Dr. Hartman is the best, known worldwide for her catheter ablation research and treatments," she sighed, her heart on fire as she watched Derek watch her. Without thinking, she reached forward and rested her hand along his cheek. "She's the best, Derek … and her techniques … well, they are minimally invasive – _and it was all I could handle_ – I couldn't handle another surgery and honestly, as good as Teddy is, I disagreed with her, you wouldn't have … it was …," she sighed, her voice trailing off, her eyes wet. "It's just … you deserve the best and I had to do something to … I don't know … I had to fight, pull out all the stops –"

"So … you're a … Grey … after all …," he interrupted softly, his mind on Ellis Grey's tenacity now as he carefully watched his lover's face for reaction, so proud of her all of a sudden.

Meredith giggled and raised her left hand, tilting her wedding band against the lights. "No …," she smiled. "I'm _really_ a Shepherd," she sighed, her eyes crowded with tears again, though these were the happy variety. "Right here," she soothed, bringing that same hand up to her heart; it thumped wildly under her palm. "Where it matters most … I'm a Shepherd," she smiled, her eyes focused on the glimmering facets she found within his as she leaned closer.

Derek stared at her then, his heart _really_ beating – _truly beating at the choice of her loving words_ – he felt himself lean into her aura, this captivating sense of calm he felt radiating from her. "A Shepherd …," he breathed, his eyes glassy, his veins pulsing the stuff of true love through his newly healed lifeline.

"Hmm, I'll explain … but I can admit I used the influence of my dead mother to get you here …" she smiled, inching closer, unable to take her eyes off her man; her heart trembled with unfathomable joy. She smiled. "And you know –"

"Dead mommy's proud?" he pondered, smirking at their old joke.

"Yeah," Meredith smiled broadly, because she really believed it.

_Derek smiled too and rested his head back against the pillows and regarded her for a beat. He swallowed hard, testing the resolve of his throat. Meredith picked up the cup of ice chips and offered it to him. He took one and let the cool natural elixir calm his nerves. _

"Thanks," he smiled. Meredith didn't say anything; she simply took the cup from him and leaned forward, pressing a chaste kiss to the handsome plane of his weathered cheek, smiling as she pulled back. "So …being a Grey finally paid off," he smirked playfully, keeping his keen on his woman as she leaned closer, her hand still wrapped inside of his.

Meredith nodded; a throaty giggle escaped her lips. She smiled and laced her fingers through Derek's again. "You could say that," she mused with a twinkle of mischief. She leaned closer, the thin hospital mattress folding under her lithe weight as she whispered into her lover's ear. "But … not nearly as much as being a Shepherd has … so far," she breathed; tears of relief crowding her eyes again as she contemplated her statement, pulling back, she found Derek's eyes.

_Derek smiled and reached up, leaning forward, careful not disturb any of his monitors as he did. He flanked her skull with his palms, trying to read the expressions written all over her face – her eyes light one minute, riddled with insecurity in the next – her smile wide, yet somewhat reflective … elusive. He shook his head and pressed his lips together, his muscles angry with him for the sudden movement before Meredith leaned forward and closed the small gap of space between them – her essence consuming him as she brushed her lips against his for a beat – pulse, pulse, she kissed him, a tiny moan coming from her mouth as she pulled back; breathless … from one kiss ... they stared at one another, nothing but truth and honesty between them now. _

"Tell me …," he smiled before he kissed her again, _soft and quick._

Meredith sighed, shivering at the touch of his lips upon hers, her eyes still pinned to his wherein she gathered her strength – _his gateways so blue, bright, clear_ – his energy so calm and open, his attention so fixed upon her as he held her inside this private and defining moment.

"Tell me …," he pleaded again softly, his nose brushing against hers, his muscles still shouting at him. "Tell me how … you saved me …," he murmured intimately, his fingertips grazing the smooth line of her wedding band now, around and around he went.

"All right," she sighed with a soft smile, blinking back a set of waiting tears as she began – _her mind instantly falling back to a time almost a week ago_ – when her world was once again tipped to the side. "Your arrhythmia … it was a complete shock to all of us …,"

###

"_You'll be okay …," Meredith reassured, whispering into Derek's ear now that he stabilized, her heart pounding into her own as she did; her head spun off axis. "Everything's going to be fine …," she rambled, pressing a chaste kiss to his temple just below the thin white pad of the monitor, 'coma, coma', her own mind went blank as she raised her head, wiping her hot, tear-stained cheeks with the pads of her fingers now. "Oh God …," she murmured, her blood-shot eyes straining to focus on a pinpoint as the room spun. _

Shaking her head; she surveyed Dr. Altman for a beat before the heart surgeon looked up from her monitor – her brow also knitted with perplexity and uncertainty – the bright glow reflecting from the screen in front of her somehow making her seem … shallow, weak, unreadable. Meredith stood still, watching as Teddy sighed heavily stepped away from the monitor and came to stand on the other side of Derek's bed; his resting form between them, Meredith's hand set along his crown. She looked down and sighed, reaching to rest her other hand on top of his, noticing how the ambient light somehow illuminated his vacancy … his eyes closed … his breathing, orchestrated, steady … even.

_"No change," Meredith finally spoke, putting an answer to her own barrage of questions, though her heart continued to rage against everything she didn't really want to know._

"_No … the arrhythmia … it's derailed him," she reported. "Best I can tell, he lost a very small amount, less than a minute's worth of oxygen to his brain –"_

"_Oh God … but he was … we were just … he was just fine!" Meredith shrilled, her voice still a whisper; though she felt her desperation bubbling to the surface, 'no, no, no' was her mantra … her steadfast response.  
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_Teddy slipped Derek's file into the foot holder on his bed as she walked around the bed to stand with Meredith. "Look, it's a blessing you were sitting here with him … your reaction time, it severely reduced the impact of the arrhythmia … and this can be fixed, he needs emergent surgery … his best shot is for me to go in –"_

"_No," Meredith interrupted, bringing her hands over her eyes as she did. "I can't … I don't …," she heaved._

_Suddenly swimming in a sea of her own tears, the insurmountable pressure of the last several hours finally catching up with her now as she struggled to breathe and come to terms with the gravity of Derek's condition. She shook her head in a silent protest, her eyes waterlogged, her throat on fire from dry-heaving – 'he needs emergent surgery' – came Teddy's voice, her mind reeling with the thought of her lover's chest being cracked open again … of her world being fractured yet again after less than two weeks of healing … no, she couldn't take it!_

_It was just too much! Just unfathomable – he had survived, just like he promised – he had survived! She looked up, inhaling sharply as she flicked her eyes to Teddy's before she looked down and away, focusing on Derek … so calm … so … vacant … more tears gathered quickly, anchored now by the heavy weight of her grief and a new … assiduous, foreboding feeling she just couldn't shake. _

"_Meredith …," Teddy stated evenly as she set her hand upon Meredith's forearm; she reluctantly looked away from Derek. "We have to … take care of this __now__, the next twelve to eighteen hours are … critical," she sighed, her eyes steady … still._

"_I don't …," Meredith tried again to articulate the conflicting thoughts circulating in her head. _

_She swallowed hard, trying desperately to pull herself out from under the weight of those flooding memories that besieged her … the residual trauma she had felt ever since Derek's first surgery … and all of the horrifying tumult that went along with it. And so she braced herself then, pressing her palms down on the edge of Derek's bed, her chest constricting as she silently ordered herself to find a solution!_

_Because she had no other choice, no choice but to look outside the box – to turn her back on everything surgical – because the deep-seeded wife within her needed something else to hold onto and that woman … the one she had become – the one who lost their baby, the one who had been faltering ever since – that woman … well, she had twelve to eighteen hours to make this right! _

_She shook her head, desperation grasping her shoulders now, ready to shake her if need be. Heaving a sigh, she met Teddy's eyes briefly, her brain actively cataloging everything she ever learned as she did – she looked down and away – her eyes sweeping over her lover before she leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss to clammy forehead, her hand cradling the halo of hairline as she did, her eyes falling briefly to his bandaged chest … no, she couldn't take it, for she was bleeding out at the thought._

_Because surgery wasn't the answer, she knew it, for in the back of her mind, the foreboding feeling that encompassed her was this: he wouldn't survive another shock to his heart … he wouldn't survive and he promised he would … and this time, he slipped under before she could hear his consent … this time, she was all alone. _

"_Crap," she muttered, her eyes roaming along Derek's bandaged chest, back and forth … the scar that lay underneath still so new, barely healed. She closed her eyes and there, deep within her mind's eye she saw the now familiar scar – the jagged pink line that marred his chest – a fissure split, a constant reminder of all that had happened … fear, horror, blood, death, surgery, baby, baby. She opened her eyes and stifled as sob. "I can't …," she breathed, 'watch and wait again', she finished silently, all of a sudden feeling like a traitor to one of her core beliefs – for she was a surgeon – but right here, in this moment, she felt like someone else entirely._

_Looking away from Derek, she turned around, pacing now as she once again let her mind wander, moving over the touch-points of her education – her mother there too, right along with Derek's (and the thought of having to call her … again) – her heart wrenched, pulling her down and into the unknown … the abyss of the wife, the one who was losing her husband. _

_She swallowed hard and took a deep breath, her heart plummeting without hope, the fear of the unknown encapsulating her because she knew … with another surgery, his chances were slim … her gut once again shouting to her, screaming at her that despite Teddy's best efforts … this was it, the line of his life, the link of their impervious chain would be broken – 'I will survive' – came his haunting words as another round of tears spilled across the shoreline of her cheeks. _

"_Meredith …," came Teddy's voice from behind her, a world away now. _

_Meredith turned around to find her there, the dim light accentuating ever crease upon her tired, concerned face. She pressed her lips together and shook her head in defiance, 'no, no', crossing the room to stand over her man again._

"_Yes," Teddy insisted firmly, tilting her head as kept a keen eye on Meredith._

'_No', Meredith shook her head again, her silent plea hanging inside the small room with nowhere to go, her wet eyes landing on her lover, his blue eyes closed, his heart beating, 'alive, alive', she found herself chanting, her fingertips dancing along Derek's hairline – her mind on Gary Clark and the moment he likely had, one just like this – one where he said 'no' over and over again, surely pleading with her husband – pain consumed her, she found her hand pressed against her empty uterus … 'gone, gone', she connected silently, saddened once again by the loss of … everything._

_She breathed out, exhaling as she danced her fingertips from his hairline down to his cheek, tracing the outline of his still kissable lips, her heart melting at the memory of his lips upon hers – the way he kissed her, soft and quick, their habit so alive and well, even now, after everything – yes, the way he kissed her still melted her from the inside out. She sighed breathlessly, her fingers moving down now, her mind still searching, scouring her resources for something else … 'live, live', she chanted, her fingertips traveling lower and lower, down along the trail of his scar, her mind moving over the facts of his case._

_And while her fingertips still moved, she silently connected and tabulated, down along his ribcage now – his heart monitor slow and steady – she breathed, matching her resting heart rate with his, her hand now on his hipbone, her mind breaking it down – known treatments for heart arrhythmias resulting in anoxic comas, her mind touching on each; surgery, pace makers, drugs – and then a gasp escaped her lips and a glimmer of something surfaced, dare she call it hope or simply the revelation she had been waiting for … either way, she knew it didn't matter._

"_Marta Hartman!" Meredith suddenly said the heart specialist's name, interrupting her inner turmoil, if only for a moment. _

"_What about her?" Teddy asked, her eyes darting up from Derek's labs. _

"_She worked with my mother, sent a nice card to me when she died …," Meredith answered, her mind caught in a maelstrom of information, facts, figures. She watched recognition dawn on Teddy. Meredith smiled weakly. "She's at Mayo in Arizona ... have you ever done a –"_

"_Not on my own, no," Teddy answered directly; she set the labs down as she sighed, a hint of sympathy in her eyes now. "Meredith, look … there is no time," she counseled, setting her arm upon her shoulder. _

_Meredith's heart shook; a new set of tears premiered along her cheeks. "I know … I just …," she breathed, shaking her head, her wet eyes fixated on Derek and the slow rise and fall of his chest … broken, scarred … and then she made a decision. "I know," she turned to Teddy. "But I'm calling her anyway," she stated firmly, strongly. _

_Her heart quivering with concern though her mind was already calmed – for she had made a decision – found an alternative … one she could live with (should Derek survive or not) … now all she had to do was call. _

###

"So … you called …," Derek sighed, his eyes fastened to Meredith's as he watched her display of emotions.

"I did," she replied, her breathing hitched as she tried to calm her racing heart.

Derek smiled. "Still doesn't explain this though," he smirked, raising his left hand, his wedding band once again sparkling against the fluorescent lights.

Meredith smiled too; she sighed and took his hand in hers. "No, it doesn't," she agreed, pressing a kiss to his cheek, breathing him in, her heart finally calming down as she did, _'alive, alive'_.

"So …," he prompted, his eyes surely twinkling; he swallowed, the pain in his throat almost gone now. Meredith's cheeks heated under his scrutiny … their spell only broken by the vibration of her PDA.

Meredith glanced at the clock and smiled before she held Derek's gaze. "This is your mother," she announced softly as she reached for the pager.

_Derek smiled as he watched her answer, unexpected emotion coursed through him, for he couldn't help but love the bond Meredith had forged with his mother after the shooting. _

"Carolyn," Meredith breathed, her eyes shining as she found Derek's watery eyes. "He's awake … it worked," she sighed, her heart lurching into her throat, untamed tears pricked her eyes. She squeezed Derek's hand. "Yes … he's lucid, he's … perfect …," she murmured, relief washing over her akin to a tidal wave now; she blinked again and her waiting tears fell. "I'll pass the phone to him now," she sniffled.

_Derek reached for the phone, but smiled when Meredith returned it to her ear, watching her intensely as she listened to his mother – who was no doubt sharing with her some of her untapped wisdom – the well never dry in that regard. _

"That sounds nice … something to look forward to … yes," Meredith sniffled, her heart burning slightly, red and hot with her love for Derek. She inhaled sharply. "We'll talk tomorrow … yes … … my guess, two to three days tops and then … I'm not sure … okay … here is your son," she sighed, summoning all of her strength to pull herself together as she passed the phone to Derek, her hand shaking slightly as she did.

"Mom …," Derek breathed, his voice gruff, though the pain in his throat had diminished. Sudden tears stung his eyes.

Meredith smiled and laced her fingers through his – _their fingertips dancing for a beat_ – flirting along one another's before they finally settled inside the groove of their perfect fit. Derek's eyes locked on hers while he listened to his mother go on and on about his lover and how proud she was of her and that they were truly blessed, a fact he couldn't agree with more.

The door opened then and Meredith was pulled from the intensity of watching Derek's reunion with his mother _– a moment she had dreamed of_ – one that she held onto in an effort to keep her eyes trained on something she wanted so badly. She smiled as Alejandra breezed through the doorway, the din of the hospital falling away as the door slowly closed behind her.

"His mother," Meredith beamed as she stood.

Alejandra smiled. "I love this part," she murmured, resting her arm along Meredith's trim shoulders. "When patients pull through," she smiled.

"Me too," Meredith agreed, releasing a breath of air she didn't know she was holding onto; she exhaled again, _'breathe'_, she reminded herself.

The women shared a chuckle. Meredith ran tongue along her dry lips and reached for her bottle of water, her eyes moving along her cot; the small bed, a mess – _the piles of medical journals along with her copious notes she lost herself within whilst Derek was lost himself_ – a daunting, arduous, yet necessary task. She took a sip of the water and turned back to Alejandra who was already absorbed at her portable lab.

"Do you think he's up for his catheter removals?" Alejandra asked, flicking her eyes up.

"I think so," Meredith answered as she walked around to stand next to the nurse, one ear on Derek's side of his conversation. "How do his labs look?" she asked softly, her eyes moving over the screen.

"Wonderful – _very typical for someone with a case like his_ – someone in good physical and mental health before whatever happened to bring them down," she smiled, stealing a peek at Dr. Shepherd. "He looks good … see the color on his cheeks?" she asked softly.

"I do," Meredith whispered with a satisfied smile, quite content to watch her lover, her heart beating wildly as she did.

**See You Soon Part 4 to follow.**


	4. Part 4, 'You amaze me,'

**Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy, et al. **

**Author's Note: So ... thanks to all who are reading this story, it means a lot to have some feedback and I love your enthusiasm. **Also, a quick note of thanks and appreciation to 'cahillfive', 'mona' and 'juni' for your anonymous reviews!****

****This next part is what I would have originally called, 'the heart of the story', though now as I have written the chapters that follow this one, it would seem the story itself is of the heart of what matters most between Meredith and Derek.**  
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**See You Soon – Part 4 – 'You amaze me**** …,****'**

_Meredith lay on her cot, her mind wild with the events of the day – 'he's awake' – she reminded herself then as the afternoon shadows became faint under her watchful eye, their depth gone now against the plain walls of Derek's room. She glanced at him, his tired eyes closed now – the catheter removal having exhausted him – he couldn't help but succumb to what his body needed most … sleep. _

_She blinked and refocused as the sun disappeared, moving across the building to the other side … afternoon was officially upon them, the events of the morning catching up with her as well now as she allowed her eyes to dip shut. Velvety darkness consumed her then, dark swirls of inlaid color … forest green, crimson red … her mind went wild again – 'he's awake, he's fine' – she chanted as her body floated, releasing endorphins, her stresses of the several weeks ebbing ever so slightly._

_Sweat covered her brow and she felt a small, sharp, reflexive pang along the bottom right quadrant of her uterus – she covered it with her hand and fought the urge to cry out – for she had no fresh tears left, for this loss … and in the end, those tears had been replaced by a dull, yet persistent ache … one that reminded her of her appendectomy scar on a really cold day, though this one was __always__ there now, ever-present, part of her personal history. A gentle reminder of what would never be … 'baby, baby', she whispered into the most private piece of herself … 'baby, baby', she caressed her belly, willing herself to find the strength she needed. _

_A minute or so later, she heard Derek move, but decided to keep her eyes shut for a moment longer to feel that small ache of a pain and let it consume her and therein, she basked in that lonely agony – allowing herself the freedom to own it and feel it before she slowly opened her watery gateways – looking up where she found her lover watching her intently from afar. She smiled weakly … 'baby, baby', she whispered from that private place one last time. _

"Are you okay?" he asked of her then, her pain-stricken face, twisting slightly as she stared back at him.

"How do you feel?" she queried in return as she quickly rose from her cot, her weary eyes scanning his … clear, blue and familiar. She took her hand in his.

He cracked a smile. "Like I had an ablation catheter removed," he joked easily, his best attempt to ease her mind. He caressed her hand – _around and around his thumb went_ – around and around, his old habit was alive and well.

"Derek, I'm serious," she murmured, pressing her lips into a thin line.

"So am I," he breathed as he held her gaze, his thumb still making its circuits, the perfect swell of her hand … soft, warm … familiar.

_Meredith sighed and blinked, tilting her head as she regarded him – still somewhat awestruck by how beautiful and vulnerable he looked, a more fragile version of himself, yet a tenacious survivor too – she smiled weakly, watching him carefully as he swallowed hard and pushed himself deeper into the small stack of pillows behind him. _

"I'll be fine …," he soothed, trying to allay her fears. "Day-by-day, just like Dr. Hartman told us," he whispered, squeezing her hand, the smooth metal of her wedding band catching his eye …radiant and stunning on her finger, even under the pale fluorescent lights.

"Alone at last," Meredith breathed, lacing her fingers through his; her eyes darting down to their entwined hands … still a perfect fit … she looked up to find his eyes.

"Hmm, mmm," Derek hummed as he held onto the intensity he spotted within her emerald gateways. "So ...," he prompted, basking in their connectivity … _'alone at last'_.

"So …," she sighed breathlessly, instantly lost within his calming aura.

Derek smiled sheepishly and felt a surge of energy consume him, the events of the day catching up with him now as his gateways to the world fluttered shut – _closing of their own free will_ – as unwelcomed chronic fatigue seeped into the core of his being like nothing else he could compare it to. For not even the insurmountable pressure and stress of the medical board examinations or any number of the tough, impossible surgeries he'd performed or even his surgical internship, wreaked this much havoc on his … _everything_.

He chuckled and shook his head, forcing his eyes wide open as he did – _inhaling sharply as he stared at Meredith now – _once again taking a private moment to _really_ look at her, absentmindedly testing his memory, fact-checking the mundane_: the date, the time, his mother's maiden name._ He smiled weakly and sighed with relief – _the dry, desert air funneling into his lungs as he breathed and stared at her still _– willing himself to stay awake and present while warding off the gravitational pull of his body's imminent need for heavy sleep in favor of hearing his wife's story – _their story of how they ended up here, with shimmering wedding bands perched upon their fingers_ – together, they were together and happy.

"You're tired," Meredith deemed quietly after a moment, watching her lover closely as she gently pulled him from his thoughts.

"Not too tired …," he whispered. "I want to hear everything," he smiled, cocking his head, fully aware that behind his woman's apparent happiness – _there was also a layer of sadness, or something else entirely_ – still some way about her he'd never encountered before.

"Everything …," Meredith murmured, leaning closer. She blinked away a small set of waiting tears. "Are you sure?" she ventured timidly, though she already knew just how much she would share tonight. She pressed her hand along his face, warm … _'alive, alive'_.

"I'm sure … and I know there's got to be an entry in the _'Meredith Chronicles'_ here somewhere," he chuckled, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Yeah … yeah … so, where did I leave off …," she chuckled playfully as she felt his face curl into smile under her palm. "Hmm," she smiled in return. "So … I called Dr. Hartman," she finally murmured, scooting closer to her lover's bedside as she began to relay the events leading up to their arrival to the here and now.

"And … there's more, I can tell … we didn't just materialize here … like this …," he smiled, turning his face into her hand where he kissed her palm, soft and quick.

Meredith swallowed hard. "No, we didn't," she said softly, cradling the chisel of his chin in her hand – _her mind already adrift to that single fleeting moment_ – to that phone call that would come to redefine what she and Derek were to one another. She looked up to find him and then pulled a folded piece of paper from her pocket. "Here," she breathed, handing it to Derek; she felt a tug on her heartstrings.

_Derek's eyes moved over the neatly folded paper, the edges worn, creased … like it had weathered a storm. He carefully opened the paper, his eyes instantly clouding with tears while he looked it over, a surge of memories consuming him as he did._

"Come here," he said gruffly, his voice laden with the arid air. Meredith leaned in and relaxed into his heat as held her steady, staring at her and her beautiful, thoughtful mind. "How?" he wondered aloud, brushing his lips against hers … _pulse, pulse_. "Tell me …," he breathed, kissing her again.

"I'm getting there," she whispered against his lips, _pulse, pulse_, she kissed him, feeling his mouth turn into a smile under hers… and therein, she pulled away and began to speak again.

###

_Meredith hung the phone up and looked out and into the hallway at the Nurses' Station in front of her where she spotted April and Jackson, finding with ease the pity in their eyes … for her … for Derek … pity and sadness. The instructions from Dr. Hartman's nurse were still sinking in – 'the medevac company will need his notarized medical power of attorney, with both of your signatures and/or your marriage certificate in order to transport him' – she gave her orders, so matter-of-factly … so simply, and yet how could she possibly have known that Meredith's heart was plummeting, for she wasn't his wife … __legally__ and of course, had no … power … she was powerless … and this was her crux to bear. _

_She caught Jackson's eyes with her own then and wondered if she, despite her gut feeling that Hartman's cardiac catheter ablation was Derek's best chance, should just let Teddy go in and forget all this fighting to fit a square peg in a round hole – because it was true – she had no power, no __lega__l power to make medical decisions for Derek, especially now that he was comatose … she felt herself split down the middle and then she had a glimmer of an idea._

_She watched Jackson press his lips together before he and April finally looked away, mercifully averting their prying eyes … but in that moment before they did – Meredith froze, forcing herself once again to focus, to find that loophole she knew she was missing, – their post-it vows skimming the surface now … 'no running… ever, no running' … and she wouldn't … she wasn't built that way anymore, for Derek had cured her of that and so had her decision to want to marry him in the first place. Because she had __really__ wanted to be married, wanted to make it legal … but then George needed surgery … and the post-it came … and then there was George … again … and then Izzie … and cancer … and life got busy again._

_Exhaling sharply, she made one last note in her notebook, listening to her heart beat into her eardrums as she did, its rhythm haphazard akin to an out-of-tune piano … she blinked – 'think, think' – she commanded of herself and then wondered how she could have let even those few seconds go by without taking action._

"_Meredith," came Owen's voice from the doorway then. "Are we' a-go' for transport to Mayo?" he asked as he stepped inside. _

_Teddy followed her old partner into the room and looked up from Derek's copious chart. "He's holding steady, no change," she reported evenly. "Still no reactivity, what did Hartman say?" she prompted, her serious eyes bouncing between Meredith's and Owen's. _

"_We're good," Meredith breathed, silently chastising herself for the tiny white lie … 'Derek, Derek', she chanted. "I just have to make a couple of phone calls, make some arrangements … call Derek's mom, you know, give her an update," she sighed, praying she just bought herself enough time. _

_###_

_Minutes after pressing a quick kiss to Derek's head, Meredith slipped out of the hospital and into the damp Seattle night, knowing she couldn't trust anyone to run the errand she was about to. Pulling out of the lot – her mind naturally drifted – she thought of her friends and wondered how a group of surgeons had ended up living such precarious lives. _

_George, her heart began its decent and her spine straightened and before she knew it she was deep in the trenches of her tailspin, blindsided once again by the shutter speed of her memories – her hand on a bomb, Burke's nerves shattered by a bullet, the frozen water of the Elliott Bay settling into her pores – she sighed, suffocating already, blinking rapidly, though she couldn't keep up … George. _

_She merged into traffic, Izzie … Izzie … beleaguered by chemotherapy drugs, her round model's face, still beautiful, though the dark circles under eyes told another story entirely … and Alex – wounded now physically, for his natural defenses weren't even enough to spare him … blood, shot, injured, angry – the attack adding yet another layer to his personal angst._

_She stopped at a red light. Reed … Reed – bullet, dead, gone, entry and exit, so swift, so definitive – tears stung her eyes. Her mind suddenly deluge with the image of Dr. Percy's handsome smile, he and Reed – those star-crossed, would-be lovers, who much like Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, died together, yet entirely apart from one another – the famous centuries-old story to remain as it was, not rewritten with some other, more modern happier ending. She sighed with defeat, pausing at the last stop sign just long enough to make it legal and clear her head. _

_She pulled up to her house and glanced at the clock, she'd only been gone about twelve minutes, though in truth it felt like a lifetime. She turned the engine off and swiftly exited the car – the windows were dark, devoid of life – she huffed into the night, tufts of her hot breath twirling up and into the sky as she stood motionless for a beat on her childhood street … and let time stop. Swallowing her bile, she quickly bounded up the steps, noticing how quiet everything was – so unusually quiet it was almost eerie – her footsteps joining her irregular heartbeat now as she let herself into the dark house, exhaling as she closed the door behind her. _

_A fine layer of sweat cloaked her skin then as she charged up the stairs and down the hallway, slipping into their bedroom – their enclave as it always was – safe, quiet and theirs, always theirs, from the very beginning before any of the rest of it happened. She flipped the light on and let her eyes land on their post-it wedding vows, neatly framed in the center of their wall behind their bed – Derek's corny idea – one she found an increasing propensity to love over time. She blinked her wet eyes and crossed the room to her dresser – rooting through her things akin to a savage – her tired eyes straining to see in the fragmented light; she pushed her panties and bras aside with haste until she found the envelope she was looking for and only then did her blood run cold. _

_Thick tears of anguish clouded her vision as she listened to her heartbeat, erratic now, her legs weak at the knees as she stumbled to their bed and sat down, bending at the waist, she set her head between her knees and prayed to whatever God was listening that she could get her wits about her and be the wife she knew she was – the one who would do anything for her husband – her chest heaved and she hyperventilated, breathing and suffocating all the same time, her laborious calls for help… unanswered by the oddity of the empty house. _

_She clutched her new lifeline and righted herself, her nimble fingers clammy now as she opened the envelope and pulled the document free – her hands involuntarily shaking as she read over the unexecuted license – her fingers moving over her signature and Derek's too as sharp pain stabbed at her heart, stab, stab. _

_Her body shook, reacting as she set one hand upon her trumpeting muscle and stared at the date of the document – the marriage license she and Derek had applied for when Izzie had planned their elaborate church wedding – the ninety-day window to file, having long expired, though in her opinion, no one needed to know that … for all she needed to do was somehow change that little piece of their history – rewrite it – and legalize the document to get Derek on that air ambulance to safety._

_She blinked and glanced at the clock, she had been gone for twenty-two minutes and within that realization, she rose on her shaky tendons and this time, made a beeline for Derek's dresser, pushing her hand into the lower right corner of his top drawer where she pulled free two small boxes … black and velvet. 'No running,' she reminded herself as she sighed and dropped the boxes into her coat pocket and swiftly exited their room, her feet almost unable to keep up with her swirling mind as she bounded down the hallway and the steps and rushed into the kitchen._

_She flipped the overhead light on and grabbed two pieces of chalk – standard white and yellow in color – plus a black ballpoint pen from the nearby message center thingy Lexie had put up sometime ago. She sat down at the table with her wares and straightened the triple-copy carbonless document, smoothing it out against the table … the off-white copy for King County, the canary yellow for the clergy or Justice of the Peace and the last pale blue copy … theirs. _

_She leafed through the copies and surveyed what she was up against – her mind working over the date – 05/01/2009 – all she had to do was modify the date to make it valid for today's date … June 6, 2010. She sucked in a deep breath, her mind moving over the facts – a little over a year had passed them by – a year … and then this. _

_She sighed and then she actually smiled, realizing that she only needed to change the year, that if she simply changed the date to read, 05/01/2010, this license would be valid to file. And so with that plan in mind, she grabbed a napkin from the holder and set it next to the papers, making several practice attempts to change the date, curving her '1' to match the handwriting of the clerk's '0' and then her '9' into a '0'. She practiced several times in succession … zero to a one … a nine into an artistic zero._

_She breathed, pushing the hot air out of her lungs, knowing that she only had one shot, for this was the only copy she had with Derek's signature on it and forging a date change was a hell of a lot easier than forging his mess of a signature!_

_Focusing, she turned to the documents, zeroing her pen at the pivot point of where she needed to be and then she did it – put her plan into action, put her pen to paper – and made a move to save her husband's life. She pulled her shaking hand away and tilted her head to regard her work. _

_Exhaling, she grabbed the chalk, using the white piece first, she gently 'deleted' the left curve of the '0' and then the longer tailpiece of the '9', gently brushing the chalk over those unnecessary strokes, blowing the excess mineral away after she gently rubbed the chalk along the surface, blending the smudges with her fingertips. When satisfied that the date looked more like the one she intended, she flipped to the canary yellow page and used the same method with the yellow chalk, gently applying pressure with the pad of her finger, swirling the tail of the nine into the paper in an effort to camouflage it. She turned the page again to the pale blue copy, her eyes moving over the document to ensure that it was as light of a copy as the original … and it was. _

_She glanced at the clock and then back to her remaining task – the blank signature line for clergy or a Justice of the Peace – the line that remained blank once she and Derek had given their wedding day to Izzie and Alex and later decided they didn't need to use the license … their post-it vows, enough for them … or so they thought._

_Standing up she took a deep breath and turned the light off. The fiery numbers of the oven clock began to taunt her then – she needed to go – she needed move and call Derek's mother, for she needed to tell someone the truth of it all and there in the darkness of her childhood kitchen, she realized that person was Carolyn Shepherd, for if there was one person she knew who was a woman of action … it was Derek's mother. _

_###_

_Minutes later she pulled away from the curb outside of her house and dialed Carolyn's number, it would be just after 11:00 PM in New York, it was late to call, but over the course of the last few weeks Meredith knew enough to know that Carolyn would be awake._

"_Meredith," her tired voice filled the car over the speaker. _

_Meredith stopped at a red light. "There's no change," she reported softly. "But … I've made some calls … and I think, I think, if I can get Derek to the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, he can get the arrhythmia fixed without surgery … and … I really …," she husked, coming to a stop at another red light. She exhaled in defeat. Her heart raced. _

"_Meredith, dear … I trust you," Carolyn said softly, her breathing hitched._

"_I just … Carolyn, I can't believe I'm saying this, but … surgery isn't going to save him …," she breathed into the quiet car, 'please, please', she prayed … and wondered if anyone was listening._

"_So this is his best chance to … wake up, to come back to us?" came the older woman's strained voice. _

_Meredith pressed on the accelerator, the hospital lights now seen in the sky in front of her … beacons of hope. "Yes … but, there are some … matters of legality with his medical power of attorney now that he's –"_

"_In a coma," his mother breathed. _

"_Yes … and I … because we never legally got married, I have no … say … no power," she admitted, somewhat surprised by the pang of regret she felt deep inside. She exhaled in frustration. "I do have … our marriage license though – it's expired – but I've managed to change the date," she confessed, holding the phone steady in her lap as she pulled into the hospital parking lot._

"_You forged your marriage license?" Carolyn asked without a hint of surprise in her voice._

"_Yes, it's the only binding document I have with both of our signatures," she answered softly as she turned the ignition off and exited the car. _

_The line went quiet and Meredith could tell Carolyn was mulling over the implications of what she might be referring to. The night air blew through her already wild locks as she stopped to slip her lifeline safely into the same pocket with the jewelry boxes. She armed the car alarm and turned away, walking swiftly toward the looming hospital. _

"_Okay then," Carolyn replied softly. "Meredith … whatever needs to be done, surely we can –"_

"_Wait!" Meredith exclaimed, pausing just outside the automatic doors. "There's more," she continued as she turned slightly and began to pace in a dark corner nearby, the cold wind whipping at her back. "In order for this to work, I ah … I have to tell a big time lie," she confessed with haste. _

"_Go on," Carolyn murmured, her voice lower, more reserved. _

"_There's a blank field on the form, a place for a person of the cloth or a Justice of the Peace to, in effect, exercise the license – I've doctored the date – but I still need someone to sign it for us, to perform a ceremony, or to lie that they did … ," she breathed, holding herself steady as she made her plan a reality. _

"_But who? Who can you call upon to do that?" Carolyn asked hesitantly. _

"_I'm going back into the hospital now and I'm hoping to find one of the interfaith chaplains," she reported evenly. "Derek … he and I, well all of us, have met with the chaplains at one time or another for patients – and in light of what's happened here in recent weeks – we've all been meeting pretty regularly for sure …," she breathed, her words dying off and into the wind. _

"_But you feel … you have to lie to one of them, that you can't be candid …," the older woman sighed over the line. _

"_I do, or I might have to … but … without this, we have nothing – Richard Webber doesn't have the clout he used to – he can't just sign forms without thinking of the consequences anymore!" she whispered harshly, finally cursing the older man for his drinking problem. Her heart banged around in her chest. _

"_Oh, Meredith …," Carolyn sighed heavily. _

"_Without this, I'll have to ask the hospital board and I already know – they'll scoff in my face – with Teddy Altman already here to perform a risky surgery on Derek … they won't care enough! They won't care the way I do … I can't … I just … won't compromise –"_

"_And you won't have to Meredith," Carolyn reassured strongly, effectively halting her tirade. _

_Meredith cried out then, spilling her hot tears of pain and sorrow onto her face, the wind pushing against her back still, their silent chant ringing into her ears: 'move, move … go, go, save him'._

"_You want me to tell you this okay …," came Carolyn's steady voice after another bit of time. _

"_I do, I need to hear it," Meredith requested; she sniffled. _

"_And this is why I adore you Meredith," Carolyn said softly. "I told Derek the day I met you, that you were so good for him … that he was always so … black and white, right or wrong, with nothing in between," she breathed, she too sniffled. _

"_And I'm … stuck in the middle … always stuck somewhere in the middle," Meredith whispered, turning to look once again at the sliding doors. _

"_You're a Grey," Carolyn deemed softly. "But you must know, in so many ways, I already believe you're a Shepherd," she suspired._

"_You do …," Meredith breathed, her chest on fire with emotion, 'breathe, breathe, please, please', she chanted silently._

"_Yes, now go, Meredith … go … and call me once its done," she ordered gently. _

"_I will," she promised before she snapped the phone shut and crossed the threshold, thereby putting her plan in motion. _

_###_

_Bolstered by her telephone call with Carolyn, Meredith hurried up the stairs, her adrenaline carrying her as she took the steps two a time to the fourth floor, turning right and heading down the quiet hallway to Derek's room, slipping inside the enclave sight unseen. Once there, her heart pinched low and deep when she surveyed her man and realized he hadn't moved an inch since she had departed almost forty-five minutes ago._

_Crossing the room, she couldn't help but think of what had happened to her lively, opinionated, aggravatingly handsome man. Her man who had been beleaguered by guilt over what happened to Gary Clark's wife … her man who had wanted to apologize, but who's hands were tied … legal matters pushing him at bay._

_Legal matters. Legality matters._

"_Oh, Derek," she cried into the austere quiet of the room, slipping her hand into his lifeless one, praying for a reflex … anything at all. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I'm trying … believe me when I tell you, I'm doing everything I think you would do for me …," she suspired, leaning down, she pressed her lips against his forehead and tried to calm herself, praying as she did, 'please, please'._

_Struggling to breathe, she found herself suffocating within the silence between them – she couldn't breathe without him – she had known this since he'd asked her to do so all those years ago, she'd known it then, but over time she had grown used to needing him … she needed him, plain and simple. And he knew this and was finally willing to be there for her._

_Looking away from his closed eyes, she ranted inside … she wasn't a liar, she was surgeon, she reminded herself then – and she was desperate to save her lover's life – all things considered, she could do worse, had __seen__ worse … and with that amount of reassurance, she righted herself just enough to grab the telephone and dial the chaplain's line, listening to the ringtone as it danced alongside Derek's heart monitor, knowing that her fate – their fate – was this time, coming to them in the form of a different kind of man, one whom she hoped would find it within his heart to save Derek's … life, rather than snatch it away._

"_Sojourn Interfaith Chapel," a masculine voice said into the line._

"_Chaplain Thomas, this is Dr. Meredith Grey," she announced softly, her eyes moving over Derek's relaxed form as she did._

"_Dr. Grey, it's always lovely to hear from you, regardless of the circumstances," the older man of faith answered._

_Meredith found herself unable to speak just then, her eyes pricking with tears, stinging, prick, prick. She inhaled sharply in an effort to ground herself while she clung the receiver, her warbled sniffle, her weak and frail cry for help suddenly all she could hear in the vacuum of silence inside the room._

"_Dr. Grey, you sound… how can I help you, where are you? I will come to you," he said evenly._

_Her tears wouldn't stop – Derek was gone and she was alone in this and she had to save him – she dipped her hand into her pocket and pulled the envelope free, setting her sights on the license as she lay it down on the table and read over their signatures … recalling now how giddy they had been in signing their names for their legal union. She set the jewelry boxes down too and swallowed hard in an effort to ground herself … but it was no use. _

_She was lost now, swept away by the succession of events from the last few weeks – harsh, real, horrifying, damaging – she gulped for air, listening to Chaplain Thomas and his soothing voice as he tried his best to coax her from her tailspin … 'was it a patient', he wanted know … 'was it something personal', he asked – 'YES!' – she screamed inside her mind on both accounts … but found her voice box to be empty. And so forlorn and lost was she now that she did not hear the door open and close behind her._

"_I need to save him … 'no running', we said no 'no running'!" she whispered desperately, her chest on fire, her heart squeezing._

"_Who? Who do you need to save?" Chaplain Thomas asked gently._

"_Derek," she answered, his name falling from her lips like hymn … 'Derek, Derek' she sang to herself. "Dr. Shepherd," she husked into the line. "Chaplain … I … I need help, a favor … I need a friend … to trust … he's my … __world__ and I have no one …," she cried softly, clutching the phone with all of her strength._

_"I will come to you Meredith, it says here you're in a room on the fourth floor, may I come up?" he requested softly. _

_"Yes," Meredith answered. "Please, we have only a short window…," she almost begged, her breathing labored as she set the phone into the cradle and began to sob, clutching her chest as she pitched forward and pressed her hands to the railing of Derek's bed, 'please, please'. _

"_Oh Meredith," she suddenly heard Dr. Bailey's familiar voice from behind her._

_Wherein, she reflexively snapped her head up and turned around to meet her fate, her old mentor, the strong, yet paradoxically soft woman she'd come to revere who stood completely still right inside the doorway. Meredith blinked and released another wave of tears, setting them free to fall along her alabaster cheeks. Bile rising in her throat as she locked her eyes on Dr. Bailey's … dark, serious, but oh so soft around the edges. _

"_I'm here, for you … and for Derek," Bailey whispered, her voice calm and even, despite Meredith's apparent desperation. "You have me," she insisted softly as only a mother would. _

_Meredith shook her head and tried to regain her composure, her face twisted, riddled with pain and anguish. She shook her head – 'no' – losing sight of Bailey as she began to cross the room to her …'no', she protested in silence, almost losing her balance, for her deep-rooted fears of making Derek's condition a reality were suddenly upon her._

"_Yes," Bailey murmured as she drew her frail frame into her motherly embrace. "Yes," she whispered, repeating herself as she held on tight and began to rock and sway on her feet. "I just heard what happened and when I did … I came right here," she assured, smoothing her wild hair down and away, down and away. "I'm right where I'm meant to be …," she soothed, pulling away, she forced Meredith to look at her. "I hear you're heading to Mayo …," she sighed, tilting her head as the pair turned toward Derek._

_Meredith couldn't answer her, all she could do was nod furiously in assent – 'yes, yes, please, please'._

"_Well, for what's it worth, I think cardiac catheter ablation is a brilliant idea, when do you lift off?" she asked, her all-seeing eyes fixed on Meredith's as she no doubt tried to figure out what __else__ was going on._

"_As soon as … possible, Teddy will be in soon, give him one last look …," Meredith whispered, her eyes stinging with a fresh round of tears, "They're on standby now, I just … have … to …," 'take care of something', she finished silently as her voice trailed off and into the silence, where all she could do was think about getting Miranda Bailey out of Derek's room before Chaplain Thomas showed up!_

_And there inside those private desperate moments – the young wife found herself following the astute older doctor with her eyes – watching her move slightly to Derek's bedside table where she promptly looked over his monitors (like any doctor would) and poured some ice water into a disposable cup. Then she casually looked down for a beat and then pulled a couple of tissues from a box situated there._

_And it was about then that Meredith reminded herself to breathe, pondering what Dr. Bailey might have seen on the bedside table – but knew the answer by the time she turned around, for there was no doubt that she had seen the license – though the question remained: did she notice the date? And would she wonder if the document was anything but what it was mean to be – for one month ago – it could have been entirely plausible that she and Derek would have gone down to City Hall and applied for a license to legally marry._

_Bailey kept her eyes on Meredith's and handed her the cup of water along with the tissues. "May I ask whom you were on the phone with when I came in?" she prompted._

_Meredith blinked and focused on the experienced doctor. "Chaplain Thomas," she answered candidly, suddenly having nothing to hide, she dabbed her eyes with the soft white tissues._

"_And you need something from the chaplain … a favor …," Bailey prompted evenly then._

_Meredith felt hot tears sting her eyes again and she blinked them away. "I … yes … I need to ask him to sign our marriage license," Meredith answered directly, watching closely for Bailey's reaction before she continued. "We never, got there, to City Hall … and with only a post-it …," she scoffed, tripping over her words. "I'm screwed … ," she finally confessed, holding herself steady as she did._

"_And you were prepared to, what? Ask the chaplain to sign it … to lie?" Bailey asked, pressing her lips together._

_Meredith's heart went wild – yes, she was going to ask him to lie – yes, there was no hiding it now as stood still and once again felt time come to screeching halt wherein fat tears sprang from her eyes because she had no words … no excuse, other than undying love._

_Without a word, Bailey turned and walked back to the bedside table. Meredith followed her and set her cup down where both women stood side by side and looked over Derek. And for a moment, everything was quiet for a lost beat of time – his heart monitor slow and steady – his eyes closed with peace, not a sign of discomfort could be seen. His wife and friend were there to support him and therein Meredith wondered how all of this was going to end._

"_I forged the date," she blurted out of nowhere. "I didn't have a choice, I don't have Webber here to just put Derek on a medevac," she explained breathlessly. "I __have__ to get him there – he won't survive another surgery – surgery isn't the answer and they want medical power of attorney … they won't even transport him without it, and this license … is all I have," she rambled, putting her heart on her sleeve._

_Dr. Bailey turned to her then and Meredith looked up to find her – she had everything to gain – her heart was torn to shreds already … she was so close to pulling it off, but she couldn't lie to Dr. Bailey, because this wasn't an LVAD wire, she didn't have her posse there to back her up, this wasn't some stupid intern's mistake … this was Derek's life!_

"_Don't say anything else Grey," Bailey warned after another moment. Meredith did as she was told and bit her tongue, watching as Bailey took the license from the table and held it up where she scrutinized it before a small smile graced her face. "His signature is real … and so is yours," she deemed thoughtfully while turning to Meredith, a new twinkle in her eyes_

"_Yes," Meredith answered. "I only changed the year," she whispered in confidence._

"_A lot's happened in a year …," Bailey mused. _

"_Yeah," Meredith whispered. "A lot …," she managed to say._

'_George, George', Izzie … Clark with a gun, Clark on the catwalk, Clark in the OR, gun pointed – ready, aim, fire – 'shoot me', Clark with his dark, hallow eyes … her heart sank, plummeting akin to anchor. _

"_But … you're still together, you've survived your first year of marriage, not all marriages do survive," the older doctor breathed, her mind no doubt on her own failed attempt with Tucker. _

_Meredith listened to Bailey and realized she was right – they were survivors – for and to one another and just as much as she knew in her heart that Derek meant everything to her, suddenly he meant even more, because he really was her husband … and she really was fighting for him. _

"_You … you can't file this license," Bailey surmised after the long minute of silence. She turned to face Meredith who was beginning to catch on. "The state will know it's been tampered with because of the document control number, up here," she pointed to the official number stamped in the upper right hand corner. "Except … you actually don't __need__ to file this __particular__ license, at all …, do you, Dr. Grey …" she wondered, again with a small smile._

"_No … I guess I don't," Meredith breathed with some amount of relief over this apparent oversight. "You're right, I only need it for the medevac, for Mayo … I don't __need__ it, __need__ it," she concluded. "And I already asked for Carolyn's permission to move on with this plan, so … if anything goes wro–"_

"_Nothing will," Bailey interrupted firmly. "Think positively," she advised with a knowing smile._

_The women were quiet again then, each lost within their own swirling minds. Meredith moved her eyes over her lover's body – he looked like Derek, but thinner with wild hair and a more than unruly five o'clock shadow – her heart shimmied and she found herself on the brink of tears once again, tears that were only halted when before she knew it, Miranda Bailey snapped a pen from her lab coat pocket and quickly signed her name on the license in the spot provided for a person of the faith. Meredith's eyes bulged out of her head and her gasp of surprise filled the room._

"_Dr. Bailey!" she whispered harshly, her hand shaking as she stared at the unrecognizable scroll she left behind._

"_Meredith," Bailey stated evenly, setting her hand upon the young doctor's forearm. "If you aren't filing the form – the signature doesn't __have__ to be real – not by a person of the cloth or … a Justice of the Peace, anyway," she explained, tilting her head as she did._

"_Oh, my … yeah," Meredith agreed, her heart still pounding with the thought of losing the lifeline of the license, her eyes rested on Derek's face. She smiled weakly and turned back to Bailey._

"_We need to tear off the top two copies," she declared. "If it was filed, you would only have the pale blue and by the date you've changed it to here, you wouldn't have the certificate back from the state yet, use that as your excuse for only having a license," she advised Meredith._

_Meredith pressed her lips together and for the first time in weeks, she thanked God for something other than having anything to do with Derek – this time, she said a small prayer of thanks for Miranda Bailey and her quick thinking and for her friendship – because she was right before when she said she was right where she was meant to be._

_The women regarded one another then while Meredith tore the top copies of the license off, folding them up into a small square before she deposited them into her coat pocket. "Why did you do that? Sign the license like that?" she asked sincerely as they shared a smile._

_Bailey smiled. "Because I've been you – the wife with a down and out husband – I've been the person waiting," she sighed. "And … I've seen __him__ be the one waiting for you – that day he pulled out of the water – there wasn't anything he wouldn't have done for you …," she assured softly. "You're married, you know – where it counts – I suppose that's what your post-it is all about," she rambled uncharacteristically._

_Meredith could only smile now. "It is … and it's enough, but … now we need more than just promises," she articulated._

"_Yeah … well, license or not, the worrying, it never ends, it doesn't end when he comes home late or forgets to call or … should already be there when you're in labor, but instead he's –"_

"_In an OR just upstairs," Meredith sniffled, a trigger-scent of bomb debris filled her nostrils, she shook those old memories away, pushing them aside._

_Miranda scoffed in recollection. "With __your__ hand on a bomb next door … saving everyone … while he …," she sighed, resting her hand upon Derek's forearm. "Saved Tucker …," she breathed. "__He__ did that," she smiled weakly. "No one else would have done that," she insisted._

"_Yeah," Meredith agreed. "He's something else," she sighed, once again saying her prayer to any God who might be listening, 'please, please'._

_###_

"_It means a lot to have you here," Meredith said softly to Chaplain Thomas a little while later, still so thankful that she didn't have to lie to this man, after all there was still karma and for some reason, it really did like to bite Meredith Grey in the ass._

"_I don't mind waiting with you, these are trying times," said the holy man, his steady hazel eyes meeting hers._

_Meredith exhaled and smiled weakly as she turned back to focus on packing the last of her things. Fortunately for her, she'd spent so much time at Derek's side in the last couple of weeks – so she had everything she needed – more than enough clothing and toiletries for both of them. No need to go home again, everything else could take care of itself. She smiled tightly and took the small velvet boxes from the bedside table and once again dropped them into her coat pocket. She exhaled sharply and looked up to find the chaplain … cool and calm._

_They were alone and had been since Meredith had gone and faxed the copy of the marriage license to the Mayo Clinic nurse after Dr. Altman's final examination had ended, reporting no change in his condition, which had ultimately cleared him for transport. Bailey had stayed around for another few minutes, just making sure of Meredith before she took off to see about assisting Teddy with her transfer paperwork while the heart surgeon worked with Dr. Hartman from the Mayo Clinic in one last a cursory review before their lift off, now scheduled to happen within the hour. And with that hopeful thought in mind, Meredith zipped the small leather duffle bag up and crossed the room to join the chaplain … a clean-cut man of about fifty years of age, with an inviting smile and salt and pepper hair._

"_I've been praying a lot," she offered softly as she sat down._

"_And how do you feel about that?" he prompted with no judgment._

_Meredith pressed her lips together and hesitated. "I don't know," she breathed, her eyes set upon the slow rise and fall of Derek's chest. "I don't know what I'm doing, most of the time, I feel like I'm pleading … I don't know who's listening, but at the same time, that doesn't really seem to matter," she articulated, her eyes still pinned on his._

_The chaplain smiled. "It doesn't," he whispered, holding her gaze steady with his. "Praying … it's full of hope, right?" he prompted._

"_I suppose," Meredith answered thoughtfully._

"_Well, what I mean is – you feel hopeful when you pray – and perhaps, in some cleansing way, you end up hearing yourself more than anyone else," he coached and coaxed gently._

_Meredith smiled. "I have," she acquiesced softly._

"_And, you know … it's okay to plead, like you said," he encouraged with a tight smile. "Praying can make us understand ourselves better if we __really__ listen … when you pray, it's just you, who you are inside … verbalizing and internalizing how you feel, what your desired outcomes are … your hopes …,"he related, tilting his head as he watched her mull over these ideas._

"_Well, I suppose I know what I want then," Meredith sighed breathlessly. "Prayers or not … if I really listen to myself, what I want hasn't changed," she swallowed hard, another tailspin of memories consuming her then._

_Unable to stop herself from thinking now about Gary Clark and the barrel of his gun … and those terrifying moments in which she told him to shoot her, and perhaps the single most terrifying moment of her life (hand on bomb included) … Jackson Avery's subterfuge, Derek's hoax of flat line … the persistent, angry beep, still ringing in her ears, even now, even weeks later!_

"_And what is that?" Chaplain Thomas asked, interrupting her internal panic._

"_For Derek to make through all of this – for him to have a long life – for us to be together and happy," she sighed, verbalizing her hopes. "I'd do anything for him, if I've learned anything about myself since we met – it's that – you know … I'd really do anything for him," she smiled weakly._

"_Then all you have to do … is take it on faith, Meredith," the older man advised gently._

_Meredith stared at him then, Derek's same words reverberating as she suddenly felt a smile settle along her face. "Derek said exactly that to me once," she recollected softly with a wry grin._

"_Was it good advice?" Chaplain Thomas asked with a smile that mimicked hers._

"_No … and yes," she chuckled, her mind landing on that first night at the trailer where both of them were already in too deep with one another._

"_Sounds about right," he mused, a new twinkle, perhaps made from relief, seen in his eyes now. _

_###_

_An hour later, she climbed into the medevac – the blades of helicopter's propeller circulating swiftly overhead, whipping around and around – the harsh cold wind pushing her inside, propelling her also now … 'move, move, go, go', the blades seemed to chant. She smiled tightly at the flight nurse, a young woman about her age. "I'm Jackie, this is your seat!" she called over the howl of the wind. _

"_Thank you!" Meredith called back, smiling as she pulled the in-flight seat down and sat upon it._

_Situating herself now, she carefully watched Owen and Teddy move Derek through the heavy metal doors of the rooftop elevator, spotting Dr. Bailey and Cristina behind them. Having already bade her friends farewell, she watched them from afar now – once again taking in the more sedated way Cristina had about her – for without cutting, she seemed more like a lost child then the cutthroat surgeon who saved Derek's life … and she really did, step up to the plate, so much so – that Meredith still found herself marveling in the steadfast way in which she operated under duress that day – though Cristina was quick to point out that Meredith could be just as cool under pressure, 'remember, you put your hand on that bomb first,' she had chided gently, though the playful hint in her eyes was missing._

_The wind changed directions slightly and suddenly; the whirl of the helicopter seemed further away. Meredith's heart raced and she pinned her eyes on Teddy's now as she pushed Derek across the rooftop with the help of the two EMTs who would also be on the flight. The army surgeon nodded in assent, making one last command before she held Meredith's gaze and pressed her lips into a thin line, her honey blond hair falling out of her pony tail as it whipped around her angular face. _

_Jackie leaned forward and the two men positioned the gurney on the track, lifting the back end, they hoisted Derek inside, the nurse immediately checking his vitals, her keen eyes on every wire and monitor attached to him. Meredith fought to catch her breath, the intensity of the moment swiftly consuming her – she exhaled with relief – and watched as Jackie hopped down, closed one of the bay doors and began a conversation with Teddy, where they called to one another over the wind. _

_Looking down then, Meredith reached over, moving to kneel down next to Derek where she felt something poke her in the ribs, tears pricking her eyes when she realized what it was – and then she smiled – finding the semi-private moment a bit surreal, for they were alone … and she suddenly needed this … a split-second, a split-second was still all it sometimes took. And without another thought, she swiftly reached into her pocket and pulled the small velvet boxes free, opening the one belonging to Derek, slightly larger in size. _

_Tears popped from her gateways the moment she set her eyes upon his wedding band, remembering how careful he was about choosing one, making sure it was a different metal and a different width from his first. Meredith smiled in recollection, joking with Derek at the time, that it didn't matter, that he'd barely wear it with all the hand-washing he did – but he insisted, it had to be different, to __feel__ different – even if he just kept it in a safe place (which ended up being his top dresser drawer), where she had later positioned hers, right next to his._

_Wiping her tears away, she crouched forward and quickly glanced at Jackie and Teddy before she turned her attention back to Derek and took his left hand in hers where she promptly began to whisper in his ear, the whirl of the helicopter propellers swirling overhead. _

"_I want you to wear this," she said softly. "I don't know why, but Bailey said something to me earlier," she articulated, pressing her soothing hand across his forehead. "And I feel like she's right – I'm your wife – you're my husband and we've been married for a year …and … I … want to feel connected … and I miss you … so much, __too__ much," she husked, her emotions clogging in the bottleneck of her throat. She blinked rapidly, trying to hard to not cry as she slipped the thick band onto his finger, Chaplain Thomas' words of hope ringing in her ears as she did. "One day, I'll slip it on your finger … for real … and you can put mine on for me," she promised, running her fingers over the cool metal, feeling the perfectly snug fit around his finger. She smiled weakly and pressed a long, lingering kiss to his cheek. "I love you, Derek and I'm taking care of you," she whispered. "No running," she promised, kissing his ear as she repeated their most precious vow. _

_Pulling back, she turned her attention to the open bay door as Jackie climbed inside. "Everything okay?" she asked as she knelt down next to Meredith, her intense eyes immediately moving over Derek's vitals._

"_Yeah," Meredith answered, turning her attention to the open door, meeting Teddy's pensive gaze one last time before one of the EMTs closed the door. _

_And then everything was quiet, the whirl of the propellers fell away, Jackie got to work with her last minute preparations and Meredith quietly moved, sitting down in her seat, her heart muscle beating erratically as she carefully removed her wedding band from the second velvet box – idly twirling the symbol with her fingertips as if to find the right tempo or groove or peace of mind – until she finally did … and slipped it on her left finger … pushing it in place … smooth, gold, round, the channel set of diamonds, sparkling in the dim light … 'no running', she whispered to silently and only then did she smile into herself. _

_Jackie strapped herself into her seat then, never the wiser with regards to the private 'ceremony' that just took place. The pilot's voice cracked over the speaker and Meredith glanced at her watch, they were lifting off as scheduled, their estimated travel time, just under two hours. Two hours, that was all it took … a gut feeling and two hours for her to see this thing through, to do right by her husband. _

_She swiftly turned her attention back to him, her eyes moving over his body as she did her own cursory check on his vitals – the helicopter began to whirl faster and a surge of adrenaline coursed through her veins – but she kept her eyes pinned on Derek, his dark locks wild from the wind, his gorgeous gateways still closed to the world, for now. _

_Where was he, she wondered briefly … his mind? His spirit? Where was he?_

_Her heart pinched; she longed for him – for his eyes to open, to see 'him' again –'please, please', she chanted and then she felt it, the propellers lift the aircraft, the increase in the speed and power she felt, indescribable (on so many levels) as they seemed to hover in the air, flying higher and higher until they began to move, skimming the surface of the dark night sky._

_Meredith felt for her ring, twirling the new metal around her finger, letting the weight of it ground her as she began to pray once again – this time openly and with a new level of confidence that she would be heard (at least by herself) – 'please, please' was still all she could chant, which suddenly became all-encompassing … 'please', it was a polite pleas, yet one of necessity._

'_Please', she whispered one last time as they began their journey of what she hoped would propel them toward a better tomorrow … together … as they moved into the night … 'married' and connected and now adorned with the lasting symbols of their union._

###

Derek stared at Meredith in quiet awe. She had rendered him speechless, thunderstruck … her loyalty, tenacity … her love for him amazed him completely. He inhaled sharply, his chest, his heart on fire … in a good way now as he stared at her and shook his head – _never having been able to articulate his love for her before_ – he found it an impossible feat at the moment. He blinked and set his waiting tears free, leaning into her reflexive touch as she wiped his face, cradling him there, tenderly – _her eyes pinned on his where she was so close he could see her brilliance _– her true essence, those tiny flecks of bright green magic.

And inside that moment, his eyes never moved from hers – _because as much as she told him, he could still see a small flicker of uncertainty there, a spark of pain_ – and therein he knew there was more, but he didn't want to push her … to intrude upon her secret. So instead he raised his hands and cupped her face, her smooth skin soothing his fingertips as he held her there.

"You amaze me," he said simply, candidly. "I love you … _so much_, I can't even … there's no way I can ever say how much," he articulated, pressing his lips together. "And I promise … one day, as soon as we can, we'll do this … for real," he whispered, his fingertips moving around her wedding band now, watching as her face twisted with raw emotion.

"Okay," Meredith managed to say, her body trembling with everything it took to tell him what had happened, the memories still so new … so unforgettable and surreal.

_Leaning forward, she kissed his lips then, tasting the salt of his tears as she did … or were they hers, she wondered as he kissed her back – though in the end – she knew it didn't make a difference, after all they were tears of happiness. She pulled away and searched his eyes with hers … blue and brilliant – his gateways still captivating hers just as they had the night they met – a shimmering, magnificent blue … not as sad, but blue and full of life all the same. She set her palm over his heart and felt it beat, just to make sure of him. _

"I'm okay," he stated evenly, trying to gauge where her head was.

"You're okay," she whispered, a small smile forming along her face as she pressed her lips to his cheek, inhaling his essence as she did. "You're exhausted," she said softly as she pulled back.

"So are you," he countered, lacing his fingers through hers, watching her watch him.

"You don't want to fall asleep do you?" she queried thoughtfully, squeezing his hand.

"I can't …," he exhaled, easing himself back against the pillows, his chest still sore from his first surgery, though reduced to a dull ache.

"Yes you can," she encouraged, moving her free hand to his forehead, his temperature, perfect.

He swallowed hard. "I feel like I've slept enough for a lifetime," he sighed, his eyes so tired around the edges that he felt strained to keep them open … but he did. "I don't want this to be a dream," he whispered after another minute.

"It's not … I promise," she smiled, bringing his hands to her lips where she kissed him there where all she could think was, _'these hands save lives'_. "It's our reality … you're here and stuck with me for good," she joked half-heartedly.

Derek smiled. "You saved my life," he declared, his heart pinching low and deep.

"And you saved mine," she whispered, moving her hands to his face again. "I would do anything for you," she husked, knowing now that she _really_ would.

"The feeling's mutual, you know," he replied, brushing his nose against hers before he kissed her again, soft and quick.

Sighing against her lips, Derek lay back against the pillows then and pulled away slightly, smiling when opened the piece of paper Meredith had given to him earlier – _the edges, worn, creased_ – but also cherished and revered. He raised his head, pausing to look at her for a beat, sighing heavily as a curtain of wayward tears crowded his eyes again.

"It's surreal, seeing this now," he sniffled, grounding himself as he set those tears free and Meredith came back into focus.

She nodded in agreement, her eyes and cheeks also wet. He inhaled and looked down again, scrutinizing the pale blue document – _the marriage license they had applied for when Izzie had planned their elaborate church wedding_ – he smiled weakly … it was _theirs_ … their commitment in black and white. His hands trembled now, the license shaking slightly as his eyes moved over their names again and again, a reflective smile on his face as he moved his fingertips over their deliberate signatures while he noticed those small changes that suddenly meant … _everything_.

And so with a twinge of something indescribable settling into his weakened heart muscle, Derek breathed, _in, out, in, out_ and glided his fingers over those changes, committing the new date and signature memory – _a new level of respect and adoration for their friend, Miranda Bailey, and so thankful was he for her spunk and quick wit_ – for it was true, they drove each other nuts sometimes, but in the end, he adored her about as much as he adored his mother. He sniffled and looked up to find his woman – _his wife_ – her eyes glassy with unshed tears.

"Today was my best day, Meredith," he whispered after another moment. "Waking up and seeing you …," he husked, swallowing his emotions.

"It was mine too … having you wake up … and be _'you'_ …," Meredith said softly as she reached up and turned his bedside lamp off. "It's okay … sleep," she encouraged. "I'll be here, I might shower, but I'll be here," she soothed.

And with those reassurances, Derek closed his eyes and finally let the power of sleep pull him under. And even though the room faded away – _Meredith kept her hand on him still_ – her palm resting over his heart as he let himself go to that dark place … this place that suddenly became alive with dreams. He felt his body go numb and he let it happen without a fight and as he did – _he heard her melodic voice_ – his angel's call and he knew everything would be okay.

"_I love you ... see you soon … ,"_ she whispered from inside his dreams.

**See You Soon Part 5 to follow. **


	5. Part 5, 'Well, we are newlyweds,'

**Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy, et al.**

**Author's Note: Thanks to all who are reading and reviewing, I sincerely hope you continue to love this story and the wayward direction it will take, which is shaping up to be really wonderful. Thanks to Mona and Danielle for your anonymous reviews.  
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**See You Soon – Part 5 – 'Well, we are newlyweds …,'**

_Derek breathed, exhaling as he cleansed his lungs – 'out, out' – he breathed, the stale, humid air inside the small bathroom suddenly insufficient, his dire need for oxygen suffocating him while he stood absolutely still and stared at his reflection for another long moment … his eyes tired, his skin pale, he was overrun, crippled by fatigue. He shook his head now and closed his eyes and his chest burned. His eyes popped open in response. He reached to his left and slowly turned the doorknob, pushing the door open with the pads of his fingers, just a crack was all he needed – 'push, push' – a gust of fresh, yet recycled air rushed through the new breezeway … and yet it still wasn't enough._

_For he needed __more__, he needed an escape, the shortest distance to freedom – he needed to extricate himself from the chokehold of his injuries – and more than anything, he desperately needed and wanted to be alone with Meredith and connect with her, in private. _

_His heart banged around in his chest – still seemingly in search of that congruent rhythm – something he was sure would take time, though all he really knew he needed was to feel whole again. And to him, being whole and healed had taken on a new meaning entirely, for after the shooting, he realized that being whole wasn't just about him or Meredith anymore. Because if all that had happened had proved anything to him – it was that they were meant to withstand the test and trials of time – and as such, their union had become an absolute, and for that alone, he would be forever humbled. He shook himself from his reverie and looked toward the door._

"_In about an hour," he heard Meredith report, her melodic voice vacillating as she likely paced around inside the room next door. He sighed and wondered with whom she was speaking. "Yes, I will … sure, I have another minute … it's disconcerting, I know," she exhaled._

_He braced himself against the counter, the linoleum, sticky against his clammy palms, his wedding band sparkling under soft warm light of the sconces that flanked the mirror. He blinked then and focused on the tightness of his chest, a single fissure that ran the length of his wayward scar. He inhaled, constricting his lungs – measuring the dull ache he felt there in comparison to the morning before – and the morning before that … and the one before that too. _

_And as he did, he reminded himself that it had only been four days._

_Four days since he'd opened his eyes to this third chance, almost one month since the shooting … one month since his second chance began. He grabbed his toothbrush and noticed Meredith had prepared it for him, a swirl of his toothpaste already applied to his brush and then he smiled, for his wife so far from a marathon runner now – her commitment __so__ evident – __so__ tangible in all that she did for him, from the everyday mundane to the saving of his life … she was in this marriage. And with that, he began to brush his teeth, happy to focus on the routine task, if only for a brief moment. _

"_We're all right … which is … amazing … Derek's amazing," he heard Meredith murmur and from the tone of her voice, he knew she was smiling. "We can't get on a plane right now … I just, I'm not ready for that," she continued in just above a whisper. "I want Dr. Hartman to give him the 'all clear' … it needs to come from her," she explained. "I found a place … a resort, a private space on the ground floor … … yes, it will be perfect … I think … … all together … about another three weeks," she reported softly, informing the caller of their plans to stay in Scottsdale while he recovered. He rinsed his mouth. Meredith sighed heavily. "So … tell me, how is she? She's not returned my calls," she exhaled, wherein he knew she was asking for Cristina._

_Cristina … who was flailing now like a fish out of water and understandably so, for the home she once sought so much calm and solace within – the O.R. – a place so anesthetized and protected from the world outside, Seattle Grace, a mere extension of herself … was damaged and broken and would never be the same. His heart pulsed, struck again with the crumbling image of everything that had always been so right and balanced in his life … and therein, he began to wonder again: how did everything get to disjointed and unmanageable so quickly, for all it took was a split-second and an unfortunate chain of events. _

_And thereafter, in the aftermath that still held true … for now all it took was one haunting memory, one blur of the events of that day to take him back – Cristina with her wide, serious eyes, Meredith and the watery depths of hers, Clark and the barrel of his gun in his shaking hand – one facet of the day and his mind swiftly moved to those last few seconds before his world changed forever._

_He closed his eyes on his reflection in the mirror and waited then … waited for the crack of Clark's trigger to come, 'POP!' … or the shrill of Meredith's cries, 'DEREK!' … his own trigger-reflex barreling through his mind as he lay on the catwalk – a memory of his father and his embedded fear the night he was killed – a recluse image, compounded by the warbled sounds of that childhood moment, so deeply suppressed, he was truly blindsided as the hot blood drained from his wound and his upper body slowly went numb. _

_Drowning now, Derek opened his eyes and switched his focus, struggling to free himself of his past. He turned and faced the door, setting his hand upon the knob. He pushed it a fraction more and listened to Meredith counsel her caller (likely Owen), her soothing voice healing him now as he grappled with his deep-rooted fears and pinned them down, his knuckles white with pressure as he clung to the knob._

'_They were okay', he reminded himself, allowing those memories to free-fall away – down and away and into his psyche (for now) – compartmentalizing them there for later use until all that remained was Cristina and her raw surgical talent and quick thinking that saved him … Cristina … and of course his father. _

_He exhaled and stepped from the confines of the bathroom, the last of his worries dissipating now as Meredith turned around from her small suitcase and fastened her eyes to his. He watched her whole face soften as she tilted her head and held one finger up. He nodded in assent and held her gaze, trying his best to allay her fears as she listened to her caller report that there was likely no change to Cristina's withdrawn behavior. Something he knew he would need to do something about when they got home. After all, she saved his life and she was terrorized whilst doing it, and then just like that, the idea of becoming whole and healed took on yet another all encompassing meaning. _

_He sat down on a nearby chair and looked around the room, this small place he had grown accustomed to and yet was so ready to flee from. Meredith sat down on the other chair and reached for his hand. Their bags were packed and within the hour he would be discharged and they would set off and be … together. They would heal one another and he knew, with just a little bit of time, they would also become whole again. _

Meredith smiled at Derek and regarded him as she bade farewell to Owen and for a split-second, the smallest fraction of a second, she wished she be there for them. But then, there inside that same flicker, her eyes darted down to her wedding band and then she knew – _she wouldn't trade the next three weeks, alone with Derek _– for anything.

"See you soon," she said quietly into the line. "Call if you need us, but we're planning to stay here for now," she smiled tightly as she politely ended the call.

###

Marta Hartman looked up from Derek Shepherd's chart and smiled broadly. "You're recovering beautifully … the ablation has successfully eradicated the tissue in your heart that triggered it's abnormal rhythm," she remarked, her eyes moving over the young couple as something struck her. "And it would seem that your recovery from your first emergent surgery was perhaps even bolstered by your body's relaxed state following your anoxic injury," she reported as she tilted her head, thinking now that she was seeing the real Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd, not the brilliant surgeon he was or she was about to be – _she saw just them, the married couple, husband and wife – _just a woman and man, waiting to hear their fate as they seemed to hang on her every word. "I also wanted to mention that Meredith's instincts were probably what saved you … for it is my belief that your body might not have been able to overcome the shock of another open heart surgery to repair the arrhythmia," she sighed, jotting down one last notation on the chart before she closed it and looked up to find the couple, still suspended in limbo while they waited for her final assessment. She smiled broadly and then continued. "So … at this point … I don't see any reason why we can't stick to our plan to discharge you today," she reported evenly with that same broad smile.

_She watched Meredith and Derek exhale and smile and squeeze one another's hands, relief spilling from them as they thanked her – their eyes shining as the energy inside the room suddenly shifted – bursting now with renewed hope and excitement. The experienced doctor smiled now too, allowing herself to live inside that moment with them, this miraculous moment when the energy seemed to bounce and teem inside a hospital room when a patient was discharged. And as much as she thought she would tire of this force of nature over the years, she did not. _

_Because there was nothing quite like it – there was just something about that overwhelming sense of relief and the way it bolstered a patient's recovery – it truly was a testament to the human spirit. And although Meredith and Derek were not the typical couple she worked with, as she sat across from them, she watched them closely, basking in that light of hope and renewed confidence … with them, somehow bolstered herself by their unique connectivity. She felt her smile reach her eyes before she spoke again. _

"I understand you'll be staying put for a couple of weeks," she prompted softly.

"Yes, it would be our preference to have our follow-up appointments with you," Meredith answered. "I just want … I can't have anything impede our recovery this time …," she sighed, her voice trailing off as she tried to find the words she was looking for … _she just needed a minute, just a second for the world to stop spinning._ She felt Derek's eyes upon her and therein she met his gaze.

"It would be my pleasure," Marta smiled warmly at the pair. "And I think a break, a _true _break from the mundane can sometimes make for an even easier recovery," she said softly, trying her best to assess Meredith. "Right now, you're approaching five weeks post-op from your first procedure – _but with your body's shutdown and the rest you took here _– I would put you more at about six weeks out," she sighed with a smile.

"It's hard to believe it's been over a month … since …," Meredith breathed, her voice trailing off as tears stung her eyes – _her mind pining on several touch points … the death toll, the incredible loss of their baby_ – she felt a surge of distress and resisted the urge to rest her hand upon her belly … _'soon, soon'_, she promised herself, she would tell him as soon as the time was right (if there was such a time).

Marta smiled genuinely as she watched Meredith carefully for a beat before she turned back to Derek, effectively drawing the young doctor from her thoughts. "Just remember those golden rules: walk, but don't exert yourself and if you sit for over two hours … get up and take a walk," she chuckled. "It's a balancing act, recovering from open heart surgery the way you have been," she encouraged.

"It is," Derek smiled weakly as he held Meredith inside the contour of his embrace – _his mind already swirling around the idea of spending the next few weeks alone with her _– time that would afford them the chance to reconnect and find one another again. "I feel … good … about as well as I expected to feel …," he mused reflectively, though knowing that he was an excellent health before everything happened, was certainly something he was counting on to see him through.

"Well, you're a healthy man – _both physically and cognitively _– you'll bounce back," Marta assessed without a doubt in her mind. "But … I'll also say, you've been under duress – _and_ _whether you feel it or not_ – a lot has happened, aside from your surgical procedures," she continued with a small smile as the power-couple looked to her. "You've been through a lot and sometimes rest and relaxation can be some of the best medicine, but I'll also say …," she paused thoughtfully, tilting her head as she regarded them for a beat. "I …ah, I have a colleague who specializes in post traumatic cases – _I've seen her myself and she's very good_ – so if you a need a referral … it would be my pleasure to make an introduction," she smiled, her eyes moving between them as she surveyed their inclination with regards to therapy.

Derek eyes swept over Meredith's before he turned back to Dr. Hartman. "Thank you … I think, at first, and I speak for both of us here … I think, we just need time – _the next couple of weeks alone are necessity for us_ – but later … perhaps … yes, that would be nice," Derek smiled genuinely, knowing that at some point, he and Meredith, both together and apart from one another would likely need some assistance – _for there was no escaping it_ – this ordeal had left them with a host of vulnerability issues that neither one of them were equipped to handle alone.

"Well … as we say, _'time heals all wounds'_ … and I believe it does," Marta smiled. "Of course, my door is always open to you both … even beyond the next couple of weeks …," she sighed with that same encouraging smile as she stood.

"Thank you, Marta," Meredith replied as she and Derek stood with the good doctor; she slipped her hand into her lover's and squeezed.

"Our discharge paperwork is fairly straight forward, so I'll send Alejandra momentarily and we'll see each other again … one week from today," she smiled. "Alejandra will make that appointment for you," she explained, her eyes moving over the pair of them.

"Terrific," Derek smiled. "As long as everything continues as planned, I look forward to it," he chuckled, squeezing Meredith's hand.

"It will, you're doing just fine," Marta chuckled with a knowing smile. "Listen, if you make your appointment for late morning, perhaps the three of us can have lunch together as well – _no pressure, of course_ – but I'd really love that, especially in light of your clinical trial successes …," she suggested, in part for herself, but also for them … for she knew they needed to slowly get back into the groove of their lives.

"We would enjoy that as well," Meredith smiled genuinely, her eyes moving from Marta's to Derek's.

Derek beamed and wrapped his arm around Meredith's shoulders before he drew her near. "You know, it was Meredith's idea … the trial, the virus injection," he quipped proudly, his mind lingering on the trial and the events that led to their reunion.

"I think I read that somewhere … yes," Marta smiled in return. "Doesn't surprise me though," she said thoughtfully.

Derek chuckled. "Me either," he doted, moving his hand to the small of his lover's back where he left it.

Alejandra breezed into the room, bringing with her Derek's coveted discharge papers. The threesome smiled as they watched her glide across the room. "Whenever you're ready Dr. Shepherd," she prompted, situating the papers on the small table in the corner.

"Well then," Marta said to the group. "I'll leave you in Alejandra's capable hands," she smiled genuinely as she shook Derek's hand.

"Thank you again," Meredith murmured softly, holding the good doctor's gaze.

Marta smiled, releasing a small chuckle. "You know … when you called me that night … I wasn't sure about what kind of woman I was going to meet … or who I was even expecting Ellis Grey's daughter to be …," she said, her voice trailing off as she shook her head and pondered Meredith Grey, her mind reeling around the young doctor's mother and her unruly temperament. "But …you're much softer around the edges than I imagined _– no less hardcore and just as brilliant, mind you_ – just … softer …," she smiled, watching Meredith's face turn still as stone before she was surely about to protest, though Marta wouldn't hear of it, for instead, she set her hand upon the young woman's shoulder and looked her straight in the eyes. "Anyway, in the end, it doesn't matter who I was expecting to show up here … because, well – _what I'm trying to say is that you have what it takes to truly be one of the greats_ – and not just in the O.R. like your mother ... ," she stated evenly with a smile. "After all, life is made up of more than that for you, I can tell," she said softly, tilting her head as a couple of tiny tears slipped from Meredith's eyes.

_Meredith sniffled and nodded, but remained quiet, unable to trust herself to speak. She sniffled again and leaned into Derek's heat, losing herself for a beat as Marta's words lingered in the stale air – 'and not just in the O.R. like your mother' – yes, this much was true … especially over the course of the last week … life, for Meredith Grey had truly moved beyond the walls of the coveted O.R. _

Derek felt Meredith succumb to his hold upon her as he watched her face twist with emotion. He pressed his lips to her forehead and spoke up instead, his warm, reassuring hand still sitting low and comfortably on her back. "I couldn't agree more, Marta …," he finally replied – _because it was true _– Meredith Grey was really on her way to becoming one of the greats.

###

Derek smiled at Meredith as Alejandra navigated a wheelchair through the doorway of his room, a sheepish grin spreading along her face as she did. Derek rolled his eyes, playing along as he stood up and then sat in the chair. Alejandra smirked and leaned forward, meeting his spirited eyes as he looked up to find her. "You knew this was inevitable," she chuckled at his antics.

"Yeah well … I hoped …," he scoffed playfully as he settled back and into the chair, catching Meredith's side-long glance at she swiped her purse from the table and held the door open for them.

Meredith smiled warmly at Alejandra and sighed. "Thank you again, Alejandra, for everything," she breathed as they headed toward the nurse's station.

"My pleasure," Alejandra answered as she dropped Dr. Shepherd's file onto her desk and turned back to Meredith. "Come, I arranged to take you both down myself," she smiled genuinely.

Derek smiled and looked back to the women. "So let's roll," he smirked, chuckling at his lame joke.

Alejandra snickered and began to push the wheelchair down the short hallway, coming to a slow stop at the waiting elevator where they glided over the threshold, making their way to the main lobby and exit three floors below.

"Make sure you drink a lot of water, keep yourselves hydrated out there," Alejandra reminded the couple as she glided the wheelchair off of the elevator a minute or so later.

"We will, the climate is certainly something to get used to," Meredith commented as they headed through the main sliding doors, the arid, desert air slamming into them as they swiftly moved from the comfort of the air-conditioned hospital.

"Wow …," was all Derek could say as they glided toward the curb, realizing that the covered entryway hardly made a difference at all with regards to the heat … dry, oppressive and hot.

Alejandra stopped at the curb and Meredith smiled at her. "We're okay from here," she murmured, holding Derek's hand as he stood slowly.

"You sure?" Alejandra queried; scanning their faces, though she was quite confident they would be just fine.

"Yeah … we're parked right over there," Meredith pointed, her finger aimed at a small jet-black sedan with black tinted windows.

"All right then," Alejandra smiled.

"Thank you, Alejandra," Derek breathed, draping his arm around her shoulders where he squeezed. "You're the best," he smiled genuinely, meeting her liquid brown eyes for a beat where they stayed.

She chuckled and smiled at the couple. "See you next week," she said as she winked.

"You will," Meredith confirmed as she laced her fingers through Derek's and they watched her go. "Shall we?" she asked of him once Alejandra made it back inside.

_Derek smiled and nodded, squeezing Meredith's hand as he turned toward the ground level of the parking garage – the sun flooding down and along all of its sides – the car along the interior wall, tucked away from the sun by a large structural column. They walked slowly then where all Derek could do was focus how good it felt to breathe and fill his lungs with fresh air, however dry and dehydrating it might have been – he was out – and the sun was shining and they were finally alone! The day belonged to them … and so did their future. _

_He exhaled as they slowly approached the car – Meredith fishing into her purse for the keys as they did – her smile bright and cheerful as she unlocked the doors from remote and moved to open the passenger side for him. He smiled and felt a surge of relief consume him – an energy, a lot like waves crashing at the shore – a light pummel to the tense muscles of his back; just enough to wash over him as he exhaled sharply and let a fraction of his stresses go. He breathed in and out – watching closely as everything slowed down and Meredith opened the passenger door and tossed her purse into the backseat, her focused eyes meeting his as she moved aside to help him sit down – but Derek smiled and turned toward her instead. _

"Meredith … wait … wait," he breathed, finding her emerald gateways in the privacy of the darkened corner, cupping her face in his hands as he pressed her back against the side of sleek black car. She smiled and stared at him, her cheeks flushed as he pressed his forehead to hers and basked in her aura for a beat. "I … come here," he whispered into their heat, his eyes vacillating over hers as she smiled.

Meredith leaned forward and the concept of time came to a speedy halt before Derek brushed his lips against hers, soft and quick – _they kissed, slow and long_ – her heart racing as she opened her mouth to the familiarity of his, making love to him there as their bodies and minds and hearts began to surrender to their uninhibited proximity. She heaved, panting for air as she eventually pulled away and stared at her lover – _his tired blue eyes blurred with passionate haze as he remained in his same spot _– one hand cradling the back of her skull where he held her still and quiet inside their moment.

"I've dreamed of this," Meredith confessed over the thumping of her heart. "This moment, right here … alone, outside … with you, discharged … healthy," she heaved breathlessly, unable to look away from her lover's penetrating gaze.

"It's a great dream … come true …," Derek sighed with a small reflective smile as he drew her near, kissing her again as the hot air swirled around them without discrimination. He sighed breathlessly, his weakened heart racing now as he pulled back and stared at her, much how he often did now … _with absolute awe and admiration. _

###

_Derek watched Meredith carefully as she navigated through the streets of Scottsdale, the sun high in the sky above them, its powerful rays beating down upon the car – the shaded windows and the blast of the air conditioning counteracting the weather conditions only slightly – he smiled and let his head fall against the leather headrest and concentrated on his heartbeat … his rhythm slow and steady until his eyes became heavy and closed, the car lulling him comfortably as his lover moved him toward yet another safe place. His body was suddenly weightless, his stress responders unraveling now as he exhaled and listened to the air conditioner, feeling the ebb and flow of traffic and the effortless power of the small black sedan as they moved … on and forward … together. _

_The car eventually came to a gradual stop. Meredith's giggle floated through the small space … Derek smiled and slowly opened his eyes. _

"We're here," she whispered, setting her hand upon his weathered cheek as she checked him over.

Derek smiled and winked at her before two car attendants dressed in matching trouser pants and Hawaiian style shirts opened the car doors for them in unison. A rush of stifling hot air instantly swallowed them up, bringing with it the substantial weight and strength of the Arizona sun. Meredith winked back at Derek before she swiftly got out of the car. Derek watched her go, smiling as he looked on as she interacted with one of the attendants. She giggled and took a claim ticket from the man before she made her way around to the passenger side of the car and leaned down to offer her hand to him.

"Do you need some help?" she asked of him. He smiled and took her hand without hesitation wherein she gave him the leverage he needed. "It'll get easier," she said intimately as he came to stand in front of her, his hands suddenly pinned to her hips now.

"I know," he agreed with a weak smile, the hot air, unmoving and heavy as they stood under the covered entryway to the handsome boutique hacienda Meredith had chosen for them.

###

Derek walked with his hand laced through Meredith's, the hot sun beating down on their shoulders, the baseball cap she'd purchased for him, hardly enough of a shield for his eyes … he'd need sunglasses, for sure. His eyes swept the luxurious grounds and gardens – _a desert oasis by definition, perfectly balanced by architecture and design_ – overgrown palm trees, cacti plants, coupled with time-released misting devices … their feet clipped against large terracotta tiles, rusty with color and age. He squinted and read the directional signs as they made their way along the interior courtyard of the hotel – _'casitas' to the right, spa to the left, golf course straight ahead, plunge pools on both sides of the property_ – he smiled and tightened his grip on hers, turning to look at her, thoroughly ensconced in her sun hat as they moved together.

###

Meredith slid the key card into the slot and gently pushed the heavy oak door open with her fingertips, a rush of cold air breezing from within as she did. Derek's eyes swept the suite, where adjectives like _'intimate, serene, and lavish'_ came to mind. He stepped inside and sighed with relief, turning toward Meredith as she closed the door behind them.

"Wow…," he breathed, looking around the spacious suite again, a smile setting along his face as he stepped further inside the vestibule. "God … this place is gorgeous," he whispered as he turned around and around again before he stopped and came to stand behind his woman.

"Well, I figured … we _are_ newlyweds," she giggled happily, safe and warm and finally ensconced in a private place with her lover … _they were alone_, she smiled.

"We are …," he agreed as he held on tight and embraced their new beginning, smiling as he set his hands upon her tense shoulders and pressed a kiss to her neck as she tilted her head back and met his gaze briefly.

_He smiled held her close, savoring the cherished moment before he continued to survey the intimate space she'd chosen for their retreat. He sighed and leaned into her heat – allowing the world outside to finally fall away – wherein he basked in the soft light infiltrating through the partially drawn shades … the billowy fabric just enough of a barrier to all that moved outside the sacred space. He exhaled, touching on the various points within the suite as he continued to absorb the simple, yet luxurious one-room enclave, a king-size four-poster bed in the center … the dark, rustic fireplace in the corner … the deep leather sofas and lounge chairs … a crowded floor-to-ceiling bookshelf … a small kitchenette ... a peek into the marble-tiled bathroom. _

"So what do you want to do first?" Meredith murmured as she stepped in front of him and took his hands in hers.

"Something different …," he smiled down at her, his hands moving to her warm cheeks where they stayed.

"Different sounds good … but what?" she pondered, searching the deep blue seas of his eyes wherein she spotted a spark of something different … uncharted, yet familiar all the same.

Derek chuckled and stepped closer, his nose brushing against hers as he held her there. "Have we ever done _'nothing'_ together?" he pondered with a wry grin.

Meredith laughed and pressed her lips to his, soft and quick, she kissed her man, her eyes dancing as she pulled back and away. "No … not really – _rarely, __together_ – we're busy people," she giggled breathlessly as she stared at him.

"Hmm, mmm … always so busy," he agreed thoughtfully, his mind moving over the hurried state of their lives until everything just … _stopped_. "We need a rest," he whispered, ducking down to kiss her perfect-fit lips again.

"So … we rest," Meredith agreed softly against his open mouth, taking him by his hand as she pulled him backwards toward the bed. "Do you want to shower … with me … first?" she asked of him as the backs of her knees hit the edge of the bed.

"Like we used to …," Derek said wistfully with recollection, his hands moving to flank her face again, his mind deluge with precious memories:_ hot, soothing water, the massage of his lover's slippery hands … alone and lost amidst the steam._ He smiled. "Later … for now … would you lie with me … and just forget the world?" he asked, his eyes resting on hers as he moved his hands down to the hem of her tank top.

"Yeah …," she whispered, her own fingers twist on the belt loops of his jeans where she held on as his lips grazed the underside of her neck, pressed against the flutter of her pulse, _kiss, kiss. _

_They moved then, Meredith out of his arms to close the drapes and turn a dim light on while Derek stood still and undressed, his eyes following her as she moved about the suite. She grabbed her bag and two bottles of water, setting both near one of the bedside tables before her fluid movements stopped and she came to stand before him. She smiled and kicked her shoes off. He did the same and she giggled._

_Smiling radiantly now, she kept her eyes pinned to his as she slipped her jeans down and over her trim hips, stepping from them before pulled the linens back and sat on the edge of the well-made bed in nothing more than a tank top and some mismatched panties. Derek gently pulled his shirt from his shoulders and came to stand in front of her. She looked up to find him in the filtered light before she unbuttoned the fly of his jeans and pushed the worn fabric over his hips and down beyond his knees. He kicked himself free and they slipped into bed, instinctively curling into one another as if no time had passed. _

"Come closer," he urged her then as he drew her near, pulling her knee up to drape her thigh over his hipbone, her head next to his shoulder as he lay back and let it all go.

_Closing his eyes, he took a private moment to listen to the silence that suddenly ensconced them. He opened his eyes again and drew her even closer, the heat of her body a welcome sensation as he lost himself within her calming aura. She stirred in his arms and gingerly set her hand upon his heart muscle, his crooked scar hot under his white cotton shirt, Cristina's handiwork healing under her gentle touch as he watched the deep wells of her eyes fill with thick tears. _

_She sniffled into the silence and began to blink with haste, pushing her tears away while he stifled his own surge of uncontrolled emotions, tamping them down and out like the flame of a candle at the end of the night, just before bed. He smiled weakly and slowly rolled toward her and she toward him, her hands on his weathered cheeks – her nose brushing against his as she held him in place and stared at him – perhaps willing herself not to fall apart. _

"All I want for the next few days is to stay right here with you," he confessed softly. "I don't want to go anywhere … I just want you, alone … to feel you with me …," he rambled, his words stuck in his throat … his heartstrings pulled tight … _tug, tug. _

"Just sleep and room service … and me and you …," she smiled intimately, her lips moving to his as she held on tight, _pulse, pulse._

"Yeah … can we do that?" he asked of her, his mouth moving against hers still.

"We can do anything you want to do …," she smiled as she pulled back slightly, ever so slightly. "We can do that …," she whispered, resting her head on the pillow next to his.

_Eye to eye, the lovers smiled at one another … their fingers entwined, their hearts beating in unison as their gateways finally closed in submission to everything they had been through … to get to the present … to here and now … this sanctuary under the sun where they would begin to recover … together. _

**See You Soon Part 6 to follow.**


End file.
